Shogun Muyo
by Mortimus
Summary: With the disappearance of a loved one and the appearance of a stranger. The new adventure that befalls the Masaki house may alter the course of existence. Warning: Fic is a little Dark. Please R & R.
1. Seeds of Destiny

Disclaimer: Tenchi Muyo is the property of AIC and distributed by Pioneer. I make no profit in writing this and only hope to contribute to the world of anime.  
  
Shogun Muyo-Chapter 1:Seeds of Destiny  
  
The sun shone through several small gatherings of clouds, shooting down bright streaks of light that warmed the ground. The breeze convinced the grass to sway in an earthly rhythm, all part of natures orchestra. A little girl gazed into the beauty that lay in front of her. Momentarily losing her focus, she pondered how this planet could match the beauty of her home world.  
  
She often dreamt of how things could be, if she wasn't royalty. Surely, her parents would laugh at her for even suggesting frolicking among "common people." But, here she was, preparing breakfast for her friends, on a distant planet called Earth.  
  
She was brought back to reality by the gnaws of her pet cabbit.  
  
"Hey Ryo-Ohki. Breakfast is over there." She said pointing her index finger towards a corner of the kitchen.  
  
"Meow-meow" chirped the young cabbit/spaceship before she skipped, albeit slower than usual, to the direction pointed by her friend. Sasami smiled and thanked the kami's above for giving her this life, filled with people that she loved and knew who loved her back. Not just for her crown, like Ayeka had warned her about in the past, but for herself. She freed herself from her distractions and resumed her daily task.  
  
"Now lets see...Tenchi's vegetables are just about ready...the rice needs a little time though....I don't think I need to worry about Washu, she's always in that lab...Noboyuki should be on his business trip by now...and grandpa already had his share..so now that just leaves Ryoko..."  
  
Such was the routine of Jurai's second crown princess. Carefully preparing her families breakfast. And that's what they considered each other. One big and sometimes troublesome family.  
  
If only her blood relatives saw her now. Slaving over a hot stove, cooking for a bunch of primitives. They would immediately send for her and her sister. They would then proceed to destroy this backwater planet. Such an insult couldn't and wouldn't be tolerated.  
  
But she didn't see through those eyes.  
  
Feeling pride well up inside her gut, she finished the final preparations.  
  
"Well, everything seems ready. All I have to do now is make Ryoko's..." her attention was diverted back to her small friend. The cabbits ears hung low, her movement somehow unnatural, as if she had just sampled Ryoko's personal favorite sake.  
  
"Are you ok Ryo-Ohki?", with a slow stagger the cabbit replied,  
  
"Mi..ya"  
  
"What's wrong?", said a concerned Sasami. "Did you have a bad carrot? I know Tenchi picked those yesterday...."  
  
*Maybe I should ask Washu?*, she thought, *Nah, she's been in her room all week, working on something big, and I know she'd hate to be interrupted.....*  
  
"Come on, let's go find Tenchi."  
  
Carefully lifting the cabbit and placing it on her head, Sasami headed out the door and through the fields, in search for the reliable Tenchi Masaki. She had paid so much attention to her friend, however, that she forgot to cover a plate that belonged to a certain other Jurai princess. The smell carried itself around the room. Whenever her sister gave her a request for this particular Earth dish, Sasami always seemed to reply with "Huh? You want me to make you pancakes??"  
  
The smell coming from the syrup soaked dish was rich enough to wake the dead. She knew exactly how her sister liked it, made with blueberries, topped with whipped cream, strawberries on the side, and lots of syrup. A plate fit for the empress of Jurai herself.  
  
Only in this case, it wasn't the dead that awoke, but something far worse. It effortlessly phased through the wall.  
  
"Well now, what's this? Good ol' Sasami. Gotta hand it to her this time. Well, I don't think Ayeka would mind if I had a bite or two."  
  
Ryoko. The devil caller. The demon of destruction. Over the centuries of her existence, she has acquired many names. Most of them given to her by the handful of survivors of civilizations she so easily destroyed. Of course, these acts were not done willingly, but that didn't soothe the families of her victims. Still, that was the past, or so she told herself many many times.  
  
Those were memories of times she wished she could forget. On more than one occasion she had found herself in Washu's lab, practically pleading to have those memories erased, only to be turned down while her mother blabbered something about how memories, whether pleasant or not, helped define character.  
  
Regardless of what others thought of her, she was more than fully capable of showing emotions and sensations felt by normal people. It just so happens that one of her strongest urges that morning seemed to be a little too playful.  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Inside of her lab, Washu was busy researching and analyzing yet another exhaustive string of data. To even the best scientists on Earth this data might as well have been written in an ancient alien language. Codes and inscriptions danced across the screen, lighting up the lab. To the greatest mind in the universe, it was another day at the office.  
  
*Almost finished...c'mon baby, with you, my name will ring throughout the entire universe as Washu the super genius!* she thought to herself.  
  
"But wait, why just this universe?? With this creation I'll be known in ALL universes!!" A powerful laugh echoed throughout her lab. She submerged herself in absolute victory, nothing could stop her now.  
  
That is, until the screen she was working with suddenly appeared to have huge letters, flashing on and off and conveniently coming together to spell, "ERROR."  
  
"What? What? No....Dammit all. There goes another weeks worth of effort...sigh...oh well...back to the drawing board."  
  
******************************************************************  
  
The student and teacher stood facing each other. Poised for battle. It soon became a competition of patience as each stood their ground, seemingly attempting to will their opponent to make the first move. Experience won over youth, as Tenchi ran towards his grandfather with a battle cry.  
  
Tenchi uncharacteristically pressed his attacks, swinging his bokken left, then into an overhead right, followed by a thrusting blow aimed toward his grandfather's stomach. His opponent, however, was one with years of experience and discipline, avoiding every blow with a swift ease that defied his age.  
  
"Come on Tenchi, you can do better.", he said ducking one strike and blocking another.  
  
Tenchi jumped straight up and brought his bokken down with ferocity, only to have it blocked.  
  
It was true that Tenchi could do better, but a leering felling at the pit of his stomach took away most of his concentration. He couldn't pinpoint it, but he definitely knew something was amiss at the house. Momentarily shrugging it off, he swung upward, hoping to land a blow that would disarm his grandfather.  
  
"You're placing too much emphasis on power and not enough on technique. You have to balance the two forces in order to fully take advantage of them. Here, I'll demonstrate."  
  
It was Tenchi's turn to feel an upfront assault. He tried his best to parry the upcoming blows, but was caught off balance by his grandfather's deceptive agility. He regained his composure, and with precise timing, seemed to be gaining the upper hand. The small sound of a window shattering made it's way to his ears. It was due to this small distraction that Katsuhito was able to trip Tenchi, simultaneously pointing his weapon directly at Tenchi's neck. Before Tenchi could retaliate, he realized his bokken was out of his hand and laid a few inches from him.  
  
"Tsk, tsk. You must learn to be like water Tenchi, not a fish. Water changes form according to its current situation, and fish merely follow wherever the water leads."  
  
While on the ground, Tenchi gave his own sweep that was avoided by a backflip. This momentary distraction was all Tenchi needed to roll over a deftly regain possession of his weapon. He stood up and regained his battle stance. "You mean like that grandpa?"  
  
Katsuhito bore a sly smile before acknowledging his pupils skills. "Well, well, it looks as if my lessons aren't completely useless after all."  
  
"Tenchi! There you are Tenchi!", interrupted the voice of Sasami, running towards the duo. She carried Ryo-Ohkie in her hands. Tenchi was surprised that she was up so early. "I thought you'd be in the carrot fields, but when you weren't there I didn't know where to look."  
  
"Oh, sorry Sasami. Grandpa wanted to get some good training today, although I really can't figure out why he'd want to this early." He looked over to his grandfather.  
  
"I wanted to see you because I think Ryo-Ohki's sick, and I'm not sure what to do."  
  
"Well, let's take a look at her." He picked up the cabbit and examined her features to find that Sasami had not over exaggerated. The cabbit's ears still hung low, and her eyes were closed. She felt almost limp in his hands, but she looked more fatigued than sickly.  
  
Katsuhito generally didn't like Tenchi's training to be interrupted, but gave his grandson a few moments reprieve.  
  
"Tenchi, we haven't finished yet.", came his hardened voice.  
  
"Oh, right. Hey wait for me at the house, I'll be right over ok Sasami?"  
  
Sasami gently cuddled Ryo-Ohkie in her arms. She looked genuinely worried, but figured that it wasn't polite to interrupt Tenchi and grandfather while they were sparring. "Well, ok but try to hurry." She said, dejectedly. She hesitantly headed back to the house.  
  
He watched her go and made sure he hadn't disappointed her too much. After all, she was one of the girls that didn't actually make him feel like a worm on a hook, waiting to be swallowed. He didn't like saying no to those big, pink eyes, but he had to respect his grandfather's wishes to continue. He laughed at himself for what might happen if he didn't. *Oh hey you know what grampa? I'm tired, forget training today, I'm staying in bed.*  
  
"All right, I'm ready when you are."  
  
He assumed the stance that became almost instinctual in the time spent training. He remembered how his teacher had told him that the correct posture had to become almost a reflex itself. When he looked over at said teacher though, standing unguarded, head low, a wave of uneasiness, flowed through his body. At first he thought that this might just be a new trick to test his awareness, but further inspection indicated otherwise.  
  
"Is everything all right?"  
  
A long pause.  
  
"That was a good session Tenchi. Your skills have improved very much."  
  
Silence.  
  
"Uh, grandpa? You didn't bring me out here so early to find that out, did you?"  
  
"Heh heh. Very perceptive. Well, the reason I wanted to spend this time with you, is to see how well you would fare without me around. You see Tenchi, I'm leaving."  
  
"What!?"  
  
"Yes, that's right. I'm going to America for a little while. I have to take care of some personal business with an old friend."  
  
"America? Well, how long will you stay? And when are you leaving?"  
  
"Well, my plane leaves early tomorrow morning, around 3."  
  
"What? So soon?"  
  
"My bags have already been packed. And as for how long I'm going to stay, well I'm not sure. It may take a day, or it may take a few weeks. In any case, I'm sure I can leave the duties of the shrine to be taken care of by you, right?"  
  
"Yes of course. Well then...I hope you have a safe trip grandpa."  
  
"Thank you Tenchi. Now, let's go over your basic form, shall we?"  
  
***************************************************  
  
"What's come over you so suddenly Ryo-Ohkie? Well, I think all you need is some rest." Sasami walked, holding her friend close, towards the house. She passed by the blooming flower fields that she liked to sit and smell every now and then. She made her way past a small hilltop that covered her view of the house. It wasn't until she heard the first explosion that she looked up and saw there barely was a house to come home to.  
  
*What's going on?!* She thought. Her question seemingly heard as another explosion rocked the ground where she stood. She saw Ryoko fly high into the air, followed by Ayeka on foot. "What?! Ayeka? Ryoko? Are they fighting again?" A third and even louder explosion seemed only a few feet away from her, when it was clearly a field's length away. "I think it's serious this time Ryo-Ohki."  
  
It wasn't a rare occurrence to see the princess of Jurai go toe to toe with the most feared name in the galaxy. Their rivalry went back to the days even before they knew Tenchi. After all, it was by Ryoko's hand that hundreds of years ago Ayeka was separated from her then beloved Yosho. She'd die before she let something like that happen again. Combined with their obvious feelings towards Tenchi, they added up to an atomic bomb of hatred towards one another.  
  
Perhaps it was fate that determined that their feud continued. Somehow, they'd managed to share the same roof without killing each other though. Not that they haven't tried numerous times. But today seemed that they were more determined than usual to see their rivalry end.  
  
"How dare you say such a thing you demon-whore!"  
  
"You're the whore you stuck up priss!!"  
  
Ryoko flew high above Ayeka and charged a ball of energy in her hand. She flung it towards Ayeka at a speed that broke the sound barrier. She managed to easily block it with her shields. This angered Ryoko to the point that she sent a barrage of death balls into Ayeka's path, which were again blocked, but not without depleting her own energy.  
  
The cluster of energy bounced off her shield and was sent scattered, destroying parts of Ryo-Ohki's prized carrot fields. One whizzed past Sasami's head.  
  
"Azaka!! Kamidake!!" yelled out the princess. "Yes ma'am", they said, appearing in unison.  
  
"Destroy that woman!!"  
  
"Yes ma'am."  
  
The two guardians flew towards Ryoko, blasting away at her with powerful beams of energy from their lenses. She zig-zagged her way in between them, and avoided the shots. "So you think you can take me huh? Bring it on!" boasted Ryoko.  
  
She sidestepped, or sideflew, most of their attacks, leading them into a chase through the air. All the while, Ayeka looked on, yelling encouragement to her logs. "Get her!! Faster, fly faster!!" Ryoko gracefully navigated her way in the air, dodging the attacks directed her way. The missed energy waves sliced their way through the air and anything else the came into contact with. The chase exhilarated Ryoko, it all seemed like a game to her. The blasts that were launched at her however, were meant to be anything but playful. She finally grew bored of this game, turned in mid air, and launched a huge sphere of energy from her palms that caught both of the guardians head on, hurling them into the ground with a massive thud.  
  
Sasami just stood there, too shocked to form words. Here, right in front of her eyes, her two best friends were at war. The two were so intent on killing each other that they hardly noticed her presence.  
  
Angrily, Ayeka thought of her next tactic. Like a light-bulb going off in her head, it came to her. "Azaka, Kamidake, form the Jurai Super Supreme Total Annihilation Beam!" With a "Yes ma'am.", they opened up to reveal dozens upon dozens of laser lenses pointed directly at Ryoko.  
  
*The Jurai WHAT?!* Ryoko thought to herself.  
  
She hesitated in the air for the briefest of seconds, considering her options. Maybe she can dodge it, but if she didn't she knew she'd be in a whole new world of hurt. *So, she's pulling out her trump card already huh? I know this trick. I wont give them the time they need to charge up for it.*  
  
Sasami finally managed to find the nerve to speak, realizing Ayeka's next move. "Stop it you two!", she cried out, "Why are you fighting in the first place?!"  
  
Ryoko charged toward Ayeka at an amazing speed, energy blade in hand. Ayeka, fully aware of the situation, waited carefully for just the right moment. A snake's venom, though powerful, was also limited. It was imperative that its strike be precise. She waited.  
  
*Almost... a little more...*  
  
"FIRE!", she commanded, her scream masked by the sounds of hundreds of independent blasts covering the morning sky. Ryoko, underestimating the speed of the attack, was quickly engulfed. She's felt the princesses' attacks on plenty of occasions, and had written them off as hurtful as bee stings. Today though, she felt as if she had been stung by the biggest bee this side of the galaxy.  
  
She was sent backwards, crashing through trees and numerous boulders before finally indenting her back on the pavement. Scorched ground covered the path in which she was sent back. Her fall was broken only by sharp rocks and tree bark. Ayeka, fully enjoying her victory, smiled a deep smile. She had finally put that woman in her place. "It is done."  
  
She turned and was slightly startled as she looked down at her younger sister. The tears that trickled down Sasami's cheeks almost brought her to do the same.  
  
"Why Ayeka?..."  
  
"Sasami..." she tried to think of a comforting word to say, but feared that anything that left her mouth at this point would only serve to make her little sister hate her. She decided to try to embrace her instead, hoping this would comfort her at least a little.  
  
There was a massive release of energy roughly three football fields length from where they stood. Inside of the crater it created, a ball of yellow light illuminated the surroundings. Had a miniature version of the sun crashed to Earth? Standing inside this small star was Ryoko. She stood with clenched fist's, grinding her teeth. A vein seemed to jump out of her forehead. To think that she had been damaged by a princess that probably never had a real fight in her life sent her mind into limbo. "Oh, no princess...this isn't over yet!!"  
  
She bolted towards the direction of her enemy, there would be no stopping her now. Ayeka diverted her attention away from her sister and back to the fight at hand. True, her only real opponent had been Ryoko, while Ryoko has had experience battling bounty hunters, galaxy police, and the occasional universal threat along with herself and Tenchi. But in her veins coursed the heritage of possibly the strongest force in the universe, the colossal Jurai Power. Guided by her guardians, she flew off into Ryoko's direction as well.  
  
"Please stop it!!"  
  
They either didn't hear her cries in all the confusion, or chose to merely ignore her. When the two forces met, the impact sent shockwaves over the land. For a while, the two stood with fists clenched against each other. Both struggled to establish dominance over the other. Energy cackled and danced around their heads, searing some of their clothes. They stared into each other's eyes, baring teeth as wolves did to establish the dominant male.  
  
"You'll...never have him...Ayeka!"  
  
"I'd die before I let you taint his soul!!"  
  
"That can be arranged!!"  
  
The two opposing forces were too much as they neutralized each other, but not without a final burst of power. The two were flung backwards, and landed several yards away from each other. Like boxers during the final round, they'd exhausted all their resources. Slowly standing after several minutes, they prepared for another go at it.  
  
In the rubble of the aftermath, the beaten down warriors stood weary, giving each other glances that could melt steel. Out of the corner of their eyes, their peripheral vision allowed them to see an unconscious body laying face first on the ground, her light blue pigtails laying lifeless.  
  
"S...S-sasami..."  
  
"Oh, no...kid....."  
  
**************************************************************************** **** *  
  
"Something isn't right.", Tenchi kept repeating to himself, running home. Ayeka and Ryoko were usually the ones to blame for unexpected light shows, but today seemed not like the familiar fisticuffs these two usually partook in.  
  
Ryo-Ohki pointed Tenchi in the right direction as he ran inside towards Washu's lab. He didn't have the time to be amazed at Washu's many inventions, nor did he feel any of the hesitation he usually felt. He associated Washu's lab with her never-ending quest for his sperm. Right now, he knew one of his family members were hurt, and finding out how to help was worth the risk that a certain scientist might once again try to get his own personal "sample."  
  
Inside, he saw his two would be brides standing over an unconscious Sasami while Washu scanned her for injuries.  
  
"I have good news people. According to the data, she's relatively fine. Just got a little shook up and fainted." said Washu. The relief that shone through the faces of Ryoko and Ayeka was much like the relief Tenchi gets when he finds out he passed his hardest test.  
  
"What happened exactly?" inquired Tenchi.  
  
"Ask these two.", said Washu in a level tone. In a way, he knew he had the answer already.  
  
"Lord Tenchi, Sasami was nearly caught in the crossfire while I was defending myself against this scoundrel Ryoko." she said in her highpitched voice.  
  
"Give me a beak!" retaliated Ryoko. "You attacked me!"  
  
"Only after your devilish tongue said one word too many!"  
  
"Stop it."  
  
"Screw you Ayeka, it's your fault this happened, not mine."  
  
"It's your fault that my sister is laying unconscious!"  
  
"I said stop it."  
  
Ryoko pushed Ayeka in frustration, forcing her to regain her balance on one of Washu's machines. Ayeka's miniature logs appeared out of thin air.  
  
"STOP IT NOW!" roared Tenchi".  
  
"Don't you see that your fighting only hurts others! It solves nothing!"  
  
The two warriors looked down, letting the truth of his words sink in. "I wish you two would grow up. Act more like descent houseguests, instead of fighting all the time!" He calmed himself slightly, and continued with a sigh. "I'm going for a walk, I wont be back until later." He headed for the doorway.  
  
"Lord Tenchi, wait....", said Ayeka. She was off after him within minutes, leaving Ryoko alone with Washu.  
  
"Ryoko?"  
  
"Yeah?...." she faced her creator.  
  
"Why exactly were you two fighting in the first place?"  
  
Ryoko took her time to find the right answer. In retrospect, the reason was indeed silly, and now she felt childish for letting it escalate as high as it did.  
  
"Do you really need to ask?"  
  
"I see." Washu replied. Ryoko only phased out of the room.  
  
Unknown to any of them, during the final exchange of words between Ryoko and Ayeka, an activation switch for a device earlier labeled as a failure was turned on, it's engine hummed slightly....  
  
***********************************************************  
  
Outside, Tenchi had already made it down the stairs and towards the hills. Seeking escape from his reality, he lost himself in thought.  
  
* I don't believe those two. They fight every single day...and for what?...Me?*  
  
*And you love them for that.* Said a voice in his head.  
  
*I.....guess I do.*  
  
*So? What's the problem?*  
  
*That they almost killed Sasami today! That's the problem!*  
  
*But they didn't. You know that was an accident.*  
  
*Oh really? So what's going to happen the next time they have an accident?*  
  
Ayeka caught up to him in mid-thought. "Please wait Lord Tenchi."  
  
* Look at her man, don't just stand there! *  
  
"I apologize for my childish actions Lord Tenchi. It has been a long morning, filled with stress. I didn't mean for all this to happen." Tenchi considered his own advice, and thought maybe it would be best to hear her side.  
  
Tenchi Sighed. "Join me in my walk Ayeka."  
  
A bit surprised, she hesitated briefly before accepting.  
  
It was a beautiful day despite all the events. Today marked the end of the Japanese school year, and Tenchi vowed to make the best of his vacation. Too many have gone by while all he did was stay at home and maintain the family shrine. He thought he should pay just a little more attention to the girls. Maybe then they wouldn't have to fight so much.  
  
"Lady Ayeka", he started after walking in silence, " this really bothers me, why must you two constantly go after each others throats like that?"  
  
"Well...." she thought for a second, much like Ryoko, she couldn't really find an answer herself. "Is it not obvious Tenchi? To prove which one of us is truly suited for...."  
  
" For what? A coliseum? Is that how you think you can win my heart? With your fists?"  
  
"No lord Tenchi. That's not what I meant..."  
  
"Listen Ayeka. I feel the same for both of you. I feel the same for all the girls."  
  
*Liar.*  
  
"Just being a part of your lives is enough for me."  
  
"Your very sweet Lord Tenchi... I cannot thank you enough for your hospitality and graciousness..."  
  
Inside her own mind, Ayeka was also struggling to either listen to her heart or her mind.  
  
*Just tell him already!!*  
  
*No...its not...proper.*  
  
*Don't give me that! Are you really going to let him slip away because it's not proper!!"  
  
*But....I shouldn't force him....*  
  
*You're not forcing anything on anyone! Don't you see, he's the only one that cares about you for YOU, and not because of the crown you wear or the power you possess.*  
  
*......*  
  
*Fine...it's your own fault that you'll never really be happy. Ryoko would say it in a heartbeat if she had this opportunity...*  
  
"Tenchi?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
She struggled to get the words out. All this time of keeping her true feelings in check were finally catching up to her. Now was the perfect time. Walking together. Alone, with him. This sort of chance doesn't present itself everyday, Ayeka realized. To finally be alone with Tenchi, to have a mere moment with him without having to worry about Ryoko, she knew this could have been her last chance. If only the words would come out.  
  
"Tenchi....I...."  
  
"Yes? What is it?"  
  
"I love you, Tenchi."  
  
"Is that it? Well I love you two Ayeka."  
  
"No, no, Lord Tenchi. Not that way...I mean I truly and deeply lov..."  
  
Before her sentence completed it's journey out of her mouth, a huge blue sphere of intense energy instantly circled itself around them. Nearly blinded by the light, they hardly had any chance to react. By reflex alone, Ayeka pushed Tenchi out of harms way.  
  
"Tenchi look out!!"  
  
"Ayeka nooooo!!!!"  
  
Tenchi reached out and grabbed a hold of Ayeka's hand. The pulling sensation was remarkable, and he thought his shoulder would rip itself from its socket at any time. Then, just as fast as it came, it disappeared. Tenchi was left adjusting his vision. Being partially blind didn't help the situation any.  
  
When he recovered from his dazed state, he looked desperately for his friend, but she was gone. He looked down and in her place lay a battered figure. He realized that this figure belonged to a young man, maybe a year or two older than himself. With a groan, the figure looked up at Tenchi and spoke before completely passing out.  
  
"I'll...kill.....you."  
  
Next: Royal Tears and a Strange One Appears 


	2. Royal Tears and A Strange One Appears

Disclaimer: I do not own Tenchi Muyo or it's characters.  
  
Author's notes: Do not hesitate to give feedback, whether positive or negative. Though this is largely based on the OAV's, I have incorporated elements from the T.V series as well, so hopefully this will clear up any confusion for later  
  
chapters.  
  
Shogun Muyo chapter 2- Royal Tears and A Strange One Appears  
  
The many hours had passed since Tenchi's departure prompted the other residents of the Masaki home to walk through a thick environment of worry. It was unlike Tenchi to simply go off at his leisure and not return without at least informing everyone else as to where he was going. To make matters worse, he was most likely with the crown princess of Jurai, making at least one member of the house extremely agitated.  
  
Sasami, already recovering from her earlier lapse in consciousness, sat and  
  
tried to read her favorite romance novel in an attempt to give her mind a small escape from reality. Ryoko's pacing back and forth in the living room took away her concentration as she thought about the incident earlier in the day.  
  
Katsuhito didn't seem to mind the demoness' pacing as he peacefully drank his tea. Ryoko, obviously distraught, almost sent her own mind into overload thinking of the many ways that the princess could be attempting to take her  
  
Tenchi away. She had thought of following them, but decided against it, remembering Tenchi's words. He rarely spoke to them in that tone, a tone of  
  
dominance. At the time it had made her feel ashamed, but in thinking back to it, she thought that it had also made him seem just a little bit sexier.  
  
"I'm going to look for them." She said heading towards the door. She didn't know what she would do if she found them in an uncompromising position, but promised herself there would be hell to pay if that were the case. It was when she flew past Sasami that she remembered the consequences of acting on impulse. She immediately felt guilty now, as her actions almost caused the lost of a house member. Maybe she should give Ayeka more credit for helping to raise such a nice kid like Sasami.  
  
She would have never guessed that after opening the door, she would look at  
  
Tenchi struggling to carry what looked like a heavy figured man. Well, it seemed more like he was dragging him.  
  
"Tenchi?.....Are you all right?", she asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Yeah, just a little help here please." His reply seemed a bit silly to her.  
  
"Just who is that anyway?"  
  
"I'll explain later just help me out, he's kinda heavy." The fatigue in his body was starting to show as his legs slightly shook and his voice strained. The  
  
distance between the fields and his home were just right for a brisk jog, but even after the hardest days his grandfather gave him, it still posed no problem getting home with only a slight hint of sweat on his brow. Still, he never tried it dragging a person who, he estimated, outweighed him by about 80 pounds.  
  
"You do realize that's a complete stranger you letting into the house right?"  
  
He found that the irony in her words almost force a laugh out of his throat, momentarily forgetting about the lactic acid in his muscles. The girls that  
  
occupied his home were once strangers too, and they weren't even of this planet. "You mean how you all were the first time we met?"  
  
She gasped for a second and used her above average strength to take the guest and place him onto the couch. Everyone except for Katsuhito, gathered  
  
around. He preferred to finish his tea first. Sasami looked on, but noticed that Ayeka didn't follow behind Tenchi.  
  
"Ok, now explain why am I doing this again, Tenchi?"  
  
"Because he's the only clue we have to solving our problem."  
  
"And what problem would that be?", Ryoko asked.  
  
"Hey Tenchi, where's my sister?" added Sasami, looking straight at Tenchi with those big, pink eyes. He tried to find a way to sidestep her question, much like the way parents explain about the stork whenever their child asks where do babies come from, but he couldn't be anything but honest, looking at those eyes.  
  
"Sasami....I'm not really.... sure..."  
  
"What? But Washu told me she was with you.."  
  
"Your right, she was with me. We were talking, but then this. .this energy wrapped itself around us. She pushed me out of it, but before I could do anything, she was gone and, well, this guy was there instead."  
  
"Sasami stood quietly, as if time itself stopped. She tried to shake this dreadful feeling off, but couldn't, and ran toward her room.  
  
"So, blue energy huh? And you say she just vanished?" chimed in Washu who was listening intently.  
  
"Yeah Washu, so I figured we wake him up and see if he knows anything."  
  
"Uh-uh Tenchi", Washu said, "if we force him out of this state, it may injure his psyche to the point where he may not even distinguish reality. It's not as easy as slapping him around and expecting him to just pop up."  
  
She leaned in on his laying figure and checked him for any injuries. Upon her investigation, she noticed a striking blue jewel embedded on the center of his forehead, it reminded her of one of Ryoko's own gems.  
  
*Hm, maybe it could give off similar effects. But if it does, and this guy does wake up, we could be in a whole lotta negatively charge ions.* She noted how its color was emphasized by his short jet black hair.  
  
Suddenly, his eyes sprung open as he leaped off of the couch, screaming.  
  
Guest:AHHHHH!!  
  
Washu:AHHHHH!!  
  
Together:AHHHH!!  
  
He jumped behind the couch and assumed a defensive stance and spoke with a voice full of bass.  
  
"Where am I? Who are you?"  
  
Washu was too busy catching her breath to answer.  
  
"Woah, woah wait a sec were not going to hurt you!" said Tenchi.  
  
Katsuhito still sipped at his tea.  
  
"You work for the emperor don't you!" replied the stranger. Ryoko, fully annoyed at the situation, decided to try her own charm at diffusing it.  
  
"All right pal, listen up....Tenchi over here felt sorry about leaving your ass in the woods and brought you all the way over here to his home. Now I suggest you find a better form of gratitude before I beat it out of you."  
  
"This is your home?...." he said, looking around and absorbing his surroundings. "But this doesn't seem like....all right, where exactly am I", the last statement seemed more of a command than a question.  
  
Washu regained her composure and answered. "Japan, located on the planet Earth."  
  
"Planet, Earth?.....", a moment passed before he came to the conclusion that these people were obviously mocking him.  
  
"So, you take me for a fool do you....now you'll all die for your insult!"  
  
He ran up to the closest person to him at the time. Who was, unfortunately,  
  
Tenchi. The guest swung his fists mightily, but luckily for Tenchi, with all of his training, he was able to dodge every one of them, albeit clumsily.  
  
"W-wait!" he said, dodging a right hook.  
  
"S-stop!" He almost tripped ducking a roundhouse kick. "Why me!!", he found  
  
himself against the wall. Miraculously, he managed to roll out of the way of an incoming straight kick. The attack intended for him crumbled the wall to pieces upon impact. The debris fell on the floor, gathering into one thick white mess.  
  
"You dare to try to hurt my Tenchi!?" Ryoko blurted, her face a jumble of hatred and anger. "I'll have your head!!" She charged with her energy blade.  
  
Katsusito managed to finish the last of his tea.  
  
Expecting to decapitate the newcomer, Ryoko swung her sword unmercifully. Having finished off so many enemies with this attack in the past, her face turned to shock as it was blocked barehanded. Seizing the opportunity, he gave her a short, explosive uppercut to her exposed ribs. She fell to her knees.  
  
"That's enough.", said Lord Katsuhito.  
  
Looking through the freshly made hole in the house, the situation slowly became clearer to him. The barren wastelands he was so used to seeing were gone. The shrieking of armies against armies didn't exist. The blood covered streets simply weren't there. In their place stood actual greenery, and even with the dimmed sky, he could make out what his teachers had called "trees." Slowly, he realized these people were speaking the truth.  
  
"You damage our home and hurt one of our tenants. It would be rude of you not to apologize." He said, with an expressionless face.  
  
"Are you the head of this home?"  
  
"In a manner of speaking, yes."  
  
The guest bowed his head slightly before continuing. "I humbly apologize for my outburst. You must understand this is unnerving for me, waking up to an unknown planet. If there is anyway you would accept my apologies, please let me know."  
  
Katsuhito's glasses glimmered in the light while he considered the man's offer.  
  
"Well actually, there is a way....follow me."  
  
The two walked out through the huge gap that once was a wall. Leaving the rest behind to gather themselves. Tenchi seemed all right, despite just having his life flash before his eyes.  
  
Sasami looked on from the top of the stairs, paying particular attention at the newcomer's voice and facial expressions, and found herself blushing.  
  
Another pair of eyes, golden eyes, stared at him in a much different point of view. The owner gritted her teeth through the pain she felt on her ribs, and fury burned in her eyes.  
  
**************************************************************************** *  
  
Katsuhito walked in quiet with the new arrival for several minutes, enjoying the serene of the night while giving the man next to him an opportunity to take in his surroundings. The slight smell of persimmons was in the air, and the night breeze briskly whisked across the newcomer's skin. He felt soft blades of grass under his feet, as he was barefoot. The guest inhaled deeply and drank from the atmosphere. It had been surprisingly refreshing. Must nicer than what he was used to.  
  
"You showed impressive skill back there. It was almost flawless execution, but you lacked the focus to fully consider your strategy."  
  
"And you managed to break down my technique in...what.. 5 minutes? I wasn't even trying."  
  
Katsuhito found it appropriate to change subjects. "So, what are you doing on a peaceful planet like this Mr.....uh....."  
  
"Daimyo. My name is Daimyo. As far as your question, I have no idea why I'm  
  
here. I was in the middle of a field, sneaking up on an enemy troop, when I was enveloped in a blue sphere. When I regained consciousness, I was in your home."  
  
"Well.......let me be the first to welcome you to Earth Mr. Daimyo. I am called Katsuhito. But I'm afraid you'll have to pay for that wall."  
  
"Hm. I understand. It would be dishonorable for me to disrespect your home without provocation. Though I don't see how I can pay with currency...."  
  
Katsuhito slightly laughed at this man's naive.  
  
"I was only joking. We'll just have our resident genius fix it or something." He found a small stump of tree bark and decided to sit. But seriously, there is something I would appreciate for you to do for me." The moonlight in the sky allowed for another glimmer of light to appear on his glasses.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I want you to stay, and periodically train Tenchi for me. I have already informed him that I was going to America tomorrow and I do not know when I will return."  
  
Daimyo's face turned to an expression of confusion. For one, he had no idea what an "America" was and two, he couldn't find the connection between himself and this person's departure.  
  
"So, how does that involve me?"  
  
"You see Mr. Daimyo, while I do trust Tenchi's judgment, I can't bring myself to leave him unattended with all those beautiful girls running around the house. Besides, he gets lazy with his training at times. Maybe you can even bring him up a few notches."  
  
Daimyo caught on to Katsuhito's intentions. "Mr. Katsuhito, I am not a babysitter. My skills are for the battlefield, not to be shared with an inexperienced boy."  
  
"Oh, inexperienced you say? Is that why he was able to dodge all your attacks?"  
  
Daimyo took exception to the statement, and clenched his fists in anger. Katsuhito spoke again, "You underestimate his potential. From what I've seen in the past, he has an incredible strength laying dormant within him. He just needs assistance in bringing it out."  
  
"Daimyo considered his options. * Well maybe this would turn out to be interesting after all. He was able to dodge my attacks, but that could have been blind luck.*  
  
"Would you allow a complete stranger to come into your home, and trust him enough to sensei your, grandson, I take it?"  
  
"I can tell that your a man of honor. I usually follow my instincts and right now they are telling me that I can trust you. Besides, I think you'll find that it won't be as easy as you think to cause injury to our Tenchi. And perhaps  
  
having another man in the house will take some of the stress off of my boys  
  
shoulders."  
  
"Hm....checkmate Mr. Katsuhito, I accept. However, I must confess that my main goal is to return home."  
  
"Of course. We will do our best to see you returned to your world. Let's return home, I'll inform the others of your stay."  
  
"There is another thing that puzzles me though. At those last few moments that I was passing through the "gate", as I call it, I noticed a rather beautiful woman passing me. I didn't have enough time to analyze her, but I saw that she had long, regal hair. Would you happen to know anything about that?"  
  
"I'm sure that you and the other's have much to speak off. Oh, by the way, how does your planet know of the game of chess?"  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
*Me......Ryoko......down in one punch.*  
  
Dwelling on the occurrences of the last few moments, she cursed at herself for making that one mistake. She knew full well that in life or death battles, not one mistake could be made, unless you actually wish to die.  
  
*If he would have kept going.....would I have been able to stop him?*  
  
From the fight with Ayeka, to the helplessness she felt now, the day seemed like a crumpled mistake. Maybe she should have stayed in bed.  
  
********** Several hours earlier ***********************  
  
"I don't think Ayeka would mind if I had a bite or two."  
  
She tried her best to savor every bite. She could imagine how sweet the morsels would feel down her throat. True, she didn't have the ability to actually taste what was in her mouth, but more than one conversation with Sasami drew up imagery that made up for her lack of taste buds. She knew that she didn't actually have to eat either, as her gems supplied her body with enough energy to survive without food, but one of her few faults was that she could never resist the chance to boil a certain princess' blood.  
  
"Oh my, what a disgusting thing to wake up to.", said the Ayeka, walking down the stairs.  
  
"O, hey, Aiijecha", mumbled Ryoko, her mouth filled with food.  
  
She had smelled her favorite dish, but as she looked at the fork in Ruoko's  
  
hand, dripping with syrup and then at the temptress' plate, her mind clicked in realization of the situation.  
  
"Is......is that my breakfast?!"  
  
"Yup. Filling too." She said, licking her fingers, as if enjoying the taste.  
  
"How dare you blatantly disrespect me like that! Don't you have even a shred of consideration?"  
  
"Oh, relax........... if you want it that badly all you have to do is wait until I use the bathroom."  
  
Losing her appetite, Ayeka hurriedly countered. "I should expect such thrash to come out of your mouth."  
  
"Yeah, yeah. Tenchi likes my mouth just fine.", she saw that her words her having the desired effect, and decided to continue. "Oh you should have heard him, 'Oh Ryoko dont stop it feels so good!', I tell ya I had him in the palm of my hand. So to speak."  
  
"You take that back this instant!!"  
  
When a snowball rolls down a snowy cliff, it is a small wonder that it eventually grows into an avalanche.  
  
*Maybe I should have stopped there...........then none of this would have happened, Sasami wouldn't have gotten hurt, Tenchi wouldn't be mad at me and right now we wouldn't have to deal with this baka. Damn you Zero, I hate regretting every little thing.*  
  
She did feel bad at what happened, but tried to convince herself that she wasn't the only one to blame. One nagging thought clung to her mind though, like an itch you just can't reach behind your back.  
  
*Where the hell did she get all that strength from? It usually doesn't take that much effort to put her in her place, but I gotta admit it was hard to even keep up with her. Was she only playing with me all those other times?....That couldn't be it...right?"  
  
Her concentration broke as Katsuhito and Daimyo returned, walking again through what used to be a side of the house.  
  
"Good news everyone", Katsuhito said proudly, "Our friend has agreed to stay for a little while." A collective "What!?" escaped through everyone's mouths except for Sasami, whose heart fluttered in her chest.  
  
"You can't be serious." Said Ryoko.  
  
"Are you sure that is wise?" chimed in Washu.  
  
"Listen everyone, the only clues we have concerning Ayeka's disappearance are Tenchi's eyewitness account and this man's presence. Bickering amongst ourselves will not bring our Ayeka back any sooner." He quieted before he realized he made one of the worst mistakes a host can make.  
  
"Oh my, excuse my poor manners, allow me to introduce everyone. Everyone, this is Daimyo. Daimyo I think you've already had the chance to meet Tenchi, my grandson."  
  
"Uh-huh" said Tenchi.  
  
"This is Sasami, the best cook in the galaxy."  
  
"H-hello." she said, uncharacteristically nervous.  
  
"The universes greatest scientist, Washu-chan, is to your right."  
  
She simply nodded.  
  
"And last but certainly not the least......"  
  
"My name is Ryoko. Don't forget it. And I hardly care who you are." She said, back turned and arms crossed. For a second Tenchi gulped, expecting another  
  
round of unwanted action because of Ryoko's unchecked tongue.  
  
Casually, Daimyo stepped up to address the members of the house. His posture bore a mixture of pride, honor, and cockiness. "Listen, I don't want to stay any longer than necessary, but if I just leave without repaying Mr. Katsuhito's for the damage I've caused, I'll be no more than a common hoodlum."  
  
His words rang through Sasami's ears. She hadn't particularly been paying attention to what he was saying, but rather, how he was saying it.  
  
"Well then, Daimyo, if your gonna stay then you have to get out of those awful clothes." Said Washu. Looking down and comparing his attire, he did find that his garbs clashed with their culture. He reached at a spot that was still wet with blood, though not his own, and thought that maybe it was indeed time for a make over. He could tell that these Earth people thought differently than the way his people viewed a blood soaked warrior returning from battle.  
  
"Come with me." she said. Daimyo, passing by a now recovered Ryoko, hardly noticed the expression of anger on her face. Quite a feet, seeing as not even the princess had the chance to get a glare quite this penetrating.  
  
"Well now Tenchi, my plane leaves soon so I must get some rest. I have already explained some of the directions to Daimyo, and when I return I expect you to be in tip top condition."  
  
"What? What directions?"  
  
"Oh you'll see...goodnight."  
  
**************************************************************************** **  
  
Daimyo stood, taking in the spectacle that was Washu's lab. Everywhere he turned, lights flashed, experiments stared, and the hums of electronic equipment taunted him. Washu, typed away at her holotop, finding the information she was looking for, quite used to people's first impression of her working space.  
  
"Ok, your about as tall as Tenchi, but a little more....uh...massive I guess...I got it!" She said snapping her fingers. She typed in a few commands and down fell a pile of clothes taken directly from Noboyuki's closet. "Here try this one."  
  
He removed his clothing and stood for a few moments before finally deciding on an outfit.  
  
It had been a competition between a business suit and a few pieces of what he thought would be seen as casual attire on this planet, and decided on the latter. He tried on a pair of Khaki pants that fit him just comfortable enough to wear without restricting his movements. He also chose a long sleeve black shirt. He gave the air several quick kicks and punches, testing too see if his clothes stopped the flow of movements. Satisfied at the results, he nodded at the genius before turning away to leave.  
  
"Wait" said Washu.  
  
"In order for me to pinpoint the location where we think Ayeka may have gone, I'll need to run many many tests on you. I hope you find that comfortable."  
  
"So, her name is Ayeka...if it means you'll be able to bring your friend back, then I will support your cause." He headed his way to the doorway, and when he was just about place a foot through the door, her voice stopped him  
  
again.  
  
"I'm not through. Just so we understand each other." she stared directly into his eyes. He looked at a stern face full of determination and sincerity.  
  
"....the next time you injure my Ryoko, I'll kill you myself. Got that?"  
  
He quickly subdued his anger from getting the best of him. Pride came before anything, he thought, but in this case he found it pointless to argue with what he thought to be a little girl. He exited the lab and heading for the fields.  
  
***********************************************************  
  
The first crown princess of Jurai awoke to find herself lying cold and almost naked on what looked like a deserted city street. It was too dark to say for certain. She mentally thanked all of her instructors on Jurai that had taught her how to keep a cool head in stressful situations. Once the initial shock was overcome, she stood to try to find a hint of civilization. A light? A passing transport vehicle? People? None to be seen.  
  
With no moon or stars in the sky, she was enveloped in darkness. Everything was black as coal. Only by straining her vision did she make out structures that she assumed were once buildings but were now not fit to host rats. An unrelenting cold blew over her body. It was as uncaring as an angry Ryoko.  
  
"Azaka! Kamidake!..." No response came to her..  
  
"Azaka?...Kami...dake?" Again no response.  
  
"Tenchi?......WHERE AM I!!!!"  
  
Her scream filled the night. She struggled to maintain her composure. A princess shouldn't panic, she repeated over and over...  
  
"You stop there!" yelled an armored figure. He was soon followed by five others wearing similar armor. They all came from a concealed hilltop, carrying what looked like odd shaped spears.  
  
"Oh thank Tsunami your here, I was lost and wondering where I was when....."  
  
"Silence!! In the name of Trowa Khan, you are now property of the Khan empire!" said one of the troop members, wearing a black and purple armor set, apparantly for night patrols.  
  
"W-what?! Now listen here, I don't know what your talking about but I can assure you that....."  
  
"Seize her!" said a voice through a heavy helmet.  
  
Three of the six men closed in on Ayeka with swiftness and attacked her with the electrical tips of there electronic spears. One struck her in he stomach, the other by her side and one more aimed at her chest. Each jolt made her scream in pain, though each didn't seem fatal, probably because the troops had been instructed to set their weapons at stun. Combined they were enough to send her to her knees.  
  
Satisfied that they have accomplished their mission, they signaled for one of the other men, who was carrying what looked like to be a very high tech collar.  
  
Ayeka caught a glimpse of the brightly colored collar, and realized what was trying to be done to her. With a surge of confusion, agony and anger, she managed to find the strength to fight back. With a jolt of her own, she was able to send three of the six members through the air. She looked like life size  
  
nightlight, brightly illuminating the night. Her pupils disappeared and energy seemed to spill out of her pours, the energy wrapping itself around her like a snake.  
  
One of the men was impaled through the chest by their partners own spear tip. Still seething in anger, Ayeka formed two small blue sphere of energy in her hands and hurled it at three of the remaining troops, who were too shocked to move. She wasn't able to smell their flesh burning off of their bodies because she couldn't distinguish it from the rest of the war scents that oddly seemed to fit in her surroundings.  
  
She gave an icy glare at the two remaining men. They thought better of the situation and ran towards an unseen direction.  
  
"My, how quickly they run." she managed to assert.  
  
She soon regained her composure, letting the adrenaline in her blood thin. She looked around at the once again barren streets, and saw the bodies of the four men she just killed. Three were burned beyond recognition, and one laid in a pool of his own blood. It took all of her effort to keep her sanity in check.  
  
Though it wasn't unheard of, it was still very rare indeed for a member of the royal family to be forced to take a life in hand to hand combat. After all, they had armies, powerful ships, and guardians to defend them. Ayeka always spoke of making history, but not quite like this.  
  
"By Tsunami....what have I done." Tears ran freely from her cheeks and into what remained of her clothes. Before she was able to say anything else, she  
  
noticed that the staff's of her would be captors were still active and came  
  
together to give her enough light to see her surroundings better. With a new sense of vision, Ayeka took in her surroundings to try to find out where she was, but wished she just kept her eyes shut.  
  
Bodies laid next to each other. The effect of the blue light from the staffs almost made her think she was hallucinating. Most of the bodies were mangled and some had missing limbs. There was surprisingly little blood, meaning that they must have been here long enough for the blood to soak into the ground, a fact that did nothing to comfort her. It was obvious that wherever she was, it was the middle of a battlefield.  
  
"Tenchi...please h-help me..."  
  
She cried for hours. After her tears had dried, she stood and walked. She didn't know which direction she was headed, but she knew she had to leave this place, and soon.  
  
Next: Chapter three- Blueprint of a Burning Soul, part 1 


	3. Blueprint of a Burning Soul, Part 1

Disclaimer- I do not own Tenchi Muyo or any of it's characters. The only profit I gain in writing this is the knowledge that this may be read by the Internet community, and fellow Tenchi fans.  
  
Shogun Muyo: Chapter 3 - Blueprint of a Burning Soul, part 1  
  
In spite of a day saturated in chaos and confusion, Tenchi Masaki managed to find a bit of peace through the comfort of his bed. It had been very painful to think that he was powerless to prevent what had happened only a day ago to one of his most treasured friends. He found it difficult to ease his mind to sleep, but he forced himself to rest nonetheless. Now, savoring every bit of peace that he could attain, he dreamt sweet dreams of how perfect life could be....  
  
"Hey everyone, I'm back from school"  
  
"Oh hey Tenchi, we missed you!", said Sasami, running and giving him a big hug. It seems like she was honing her bearhugging skills, not wanting to taint her mother's legacy of oxygen depriving embraces.  
  
"Hi there Sasami," he said patting her head, "I didn't miss anything big today did I?"  
  
"Nah not really. It's been the usual day," she placed her index finger on her chin, thinking of the days events and deciding in her head if any were worth mentioning, "Oh wait I almost forgot, Washu called."  
  
"Really? Well, now that I think about it, ever since she invented that cure for all Earth diseases, she really hasn't been spending that much time over here. But I guess that's to be expected, I mean with all that money she's making. So what did she say?"  
  
"She's coming over for the weekend, and says she's going to check up on her favorite guinea pig."  
  
"Ha ha ha, just like Washu to say that. Oh by the way, where's Ryoko and Ayeka?" he said, looking around.  
  
"Their by Funaho's tree, you know gossiping and stuff."  
  
"I guess I'll go say hi then."  
  
Tenchi rolled to the cooler side of his bed, unconsciously smiling at the thoughts that were dancing in his head. The idea of coming home without the fights, the chaos, the fireworks spectacular, just peace and quiet, thrilled him to the very core.  
  
He stood a few yards from Funaho's tree. Sitting by the trunk were Ryoko and Ayeka, trading inside dirt on the latest in pop culture. Tenchi smiled at how they would talk, and then laugh about the silly things Earthlings go through. A scene he so desperately wished for in his world.  
  
It wasn't that he actually thought they could hurt each other, with all the resources they had. Ayeka, with her guardians, force fields and full on determination, was not to be trifled with despite her fragile flower visage. Ryoko, on the other hand, was a walking supernova, capable of inflicting damage that Tenchi took a glimpse at during their first encounter. And she was only playing back then.  
  
"Oh my Miss Ryoko, that's some news."  
  
"Yup, but it didn't come to me as a surprise, seeing how distant they seemed at that award show."  
  
"Well, if you ask me she's probably doing it for the money." Added Ayeka.  
  
"Of course. Then they'll divorce, and she'll get half! I swear this planet has some weird customs. It's like they woke up one day and said 'Hey, let's think of ways that will actually screw us over at the worst times, and then make them into laws!' What were they thinking?"  
  
"Well, they are an inferior race after all. I wouldn't blame them though, their just too ignorant of their own problems to actually do anything about it. Take America for example, during their sports events, it is actually encouraged to spit and yell and throw objects at the unpopular team, and what's worse, these people actually bring their young to these events and like they say...."  
  
"Monkey see, monkey do?"  
  
"Precisely."  
  
"Hi girls."  
  
The two were so entrapped by their conversation that they barely noticed Tenchi walk up to them. They stood almost in unison and greeted him. Instead of the usual mauling and maiming that he had come to expect from Ryoko, she just stood there, with her hands clasped in front of her. Ayeka didn't throw her sharp knives for words at Ryoko either, as she looked down, seemingly humbled by his mere presence.  
  
"Hey Tenchi."  
  
"Good afternoon Lord Tenchi."  
  
The three stood in an awkward silence. The two ladies looked down, blushing at themselves while Tenchi tapped his feet as if waiting for something. He checked his watch periodically.  
  
"Aren't you two forgetting something? Where's my hug and kiss?"  
  
Like sprinters waiting for the signaling gunshot, or boxers waiting for the bell to start the first round, Ryoko and Ayeka shot at Tenchi, giving him their full embrace.  
  
"Oh Tenchi I've missed you so much! It was beginning to get so lonely without you around." Ayeka said while kissing his cheek.  
  
"I couldn't stand another moment without you! Really Tenchi I don't see why you always have to leave us for that school of yours." Ryoko protested.  
  
An owl's hooting outside his window threatened to awake him from his dream, but his mind quickly drowned it out. Nothing would ruin what had already become his most peaceful nights rest. It was always so hard to find peace in a house full of colorful personalities and conflicting ideas. His world was changed so much since encountering these beautiful women, that he believed himself to be a different person entirely from the Tenchi Masaki that pulled the Tenchi-ken out of Ryoko's cave. Just as the owl had found a comfortable spot on the branch he perched on, something seemed to frighten it away.....  
  
"Lord Tenchi, would you please sit with us? Your company would be greatly appreciated."  
  
"I'd love to, but I just got in and I'm starving."  
  
"Oh come oh Tenchi, pleeeeeease?" said Ryoko.  
  
"Later girls, I promise. Besides, you two seemed to be fine without me just a second ago."  
  
That's when he realized the subtle change in the weather. The blue, clear sky was being replaced by a darker image of itself. Thick clouds formed out of nowhere, engulfing them in total darkness. A hint of thunder hissed in the background. Tenchi's subconscious mind seemed to be messing with him today.  
  
"Masaki," said Ayeka, in a deeper and more serious tone than usual, "you sure seem to be enjoying yourself, but the fun has just ended. Wake up."  
  
"W-what are you talking about Ayeka?"  
  
"You heard her Masaki," the voice this time came from Ryoko, "wake up."  
  
Tenchi's heart almost jumped out of his throat as the two girls in front of him grew over 50 feet in height. They looked down upon him and all of his supposedly forgotten feelings came rushing back to him, much the way sharks rushed towards a bloody carcass in the sea.  
  
"Girls?....what's going on...S-stop it..."  
  
They walked towards him at an almost slow motion pace. Tenchi felt his stomach collapse into itself as their eyes began to glow in ominous and frightening colors, red for Ayeka, gold for Ryoko. "We said wake up!!" was the last thing Tenchi heard before he was blasted to cinders by the duo, leaving only ashes where his body once stood.  
  
"Masaki wake up!" said the person who slapped Tenchi's face.  
  
"Ahh!!....what the hell, who are you?!" said Tenchi, jumping out of his bed, still shook up from his dream.  
  
"It's me, Daimyo. It's time for your training."  
  
"Training, what? But it's only...." he looked around for his clock, and as if to emphasize his point, he pointed to the time. "....it's only 5 in the morning!!"  
  
"If I had been an enemy, you would be dead before you felt your neck snap. Now tell me, would you sleep better having that knowledge?"  
  
*Oh great, now he's starting to talk like grandpa. Oh hey wait a sec....*  
  
"Grandfather isn't even here! How can I train without him?"  
  
Daimyo smirked as if he knew the answer to every question in the universe. "I will be your sensei until he returns. You will work, sweat and bleed by my hands until one of two things occur, either you surpass me, or your grandfather comes back. Neither one is going to happen anytime soon. Now, get dressed accordingly and meet me at the usual place."  
  
Realizing his predicament, Tenchi half heartedly accepted his fate.  
  
"Can I at least get breakfast?"  
  
"You have 15....no, 10 minutes. If your not there by then, I will be forced to come back for you. I hate wasting time, so if I come back, I promise you will find it most..." he searched for the right word, "....unpleasant."  
  
"Sigh...all right."  
  
Watching Daimyo exit, he made sure that he was out of listening range before giving his last appeal.  
  
"How do I get myself into these situations??"  
  
********************************************************************  
  
He walked his way to the usual training grounds. It was just right for practicing without worrying about damaging property. His walk was more like a brisk jog, but he still considered it a walk. A breeze slightly chilled his muscles, something unexpected, as it was the middle of spring.  
  
*Must be because the sun hasn't come out yet. * He grumbled to himself.  
  
Making his way to his destination, he saw Daimyo, sitting on the ground, with arms as well as legs crossed. His back was to Tenchi, and he seemed to be oblivious to his presence. Tenchi noticed how easy it could have been to sneak up on him, a skill learned form tiptoeing to keep two certain girls from noticing him late at night. But realizing that this tactic would serve no purpose, he opened his mouth to announce his arrival.  
  
"Well, well, exactly 9 minutes and 47 seconds. I thought I'd actually have to go get you for a second. Good thing you decided to hustle it up."  
  
Dumbfounded, Tenchi closed his mouth and nodded. Then, rising to his feet, Daimyo turned and cracked some of his joints before giving his full attention to the teenage boy.  
  
"So, I understand that you train with wooden sticks."  
  
"The're called bokkens." Tenchi quickly corrected. "Grandpa says it helps to focus on technique and skill rather than brute force."  
  
"Your grandfather sounds like he is very schooled in the art of battle. Perhaps you can show me what you've learned thus far."  
  
*Well, no warm up, no ritual prayer, should I really be that surprised?*  
  
"All right, if you say so."  
  
Tenchi readied himself in a defensive stance. Preparing for anything. He carefully studied his opponent's stance, searching for any weaknesses. He found it very odd that his opponent stood unarmed.  
  
"Hey, where's your weapon?"  
  
"Their right here." He said, raising his hands so Tenchi can see them clearly.  
  
"Oh hey it's great that you have that confidence but seriously, it would be unfair if I had mine and you didn't."  
  
"I think I'll do fine without it. But then again, you'll learn that first hand soon enough."  
  
*Geez, what the hell is wrong with this guy?*  
  
********************************************************************  
  
Masaki Residence 7 a. m  
  
Inside of her lonely now room, Sasami tried to fight off the lingering thoughts of yesterday's developments. Like Tenchi the night before, she forced herself to sleep, waking up more than once in the middle of the night to find her pillow damp with tears. She didn't have her sister to comfort her as she usually did, and was now beginning to wonder if she'd ever see her again. The two shared a special bond, a bond that wasn't there merely because of a blood relation, as she found out when finally confessing that she wasn't the original Sasami. The expression of love on Ayeka's face more than comforted her in her time of need.  
  
*Please be safe wherever you are Ayeka. I'm so sorry if I made you feel bad by passing out yesterday, I just couldn't help it. I hate it when you and Ryoko fight. Please Tsunami....please let her come back safe....*  
  
She got out of bed and gave her tense frame a good stretch, while resisting the urge to cry again. "No more tears Sasami," she said thinking out loud, "Ayeka is a big girl, she can take care of herself. Moping around isn't going to solve anything."  
  
Finding no comfort finding sleep, she took a brief dip in the onsen before thinking of something to take her mind off of her stresses. Spending time in the kitchen always provided the right therapeutic touch. Watching everyone's face light up after each meal always gave her pride a good stroke, while at the same time chased away any thoughts that Juraians were freeloaders.  
  
She tied her chef's robe around her waist and made sure her hair was neatly tied. Gauging the refrigerator for food, she found more than sufficient food for everyone. *Bless, Noboyuki for all his hard work.* She rolled her sleeves to elbow level, and contemplated what to start first. Her train of thought was interrupted by the nearby rumbling of the earth and the sound of several crashes.  
  
A flashback of the fight between Ryoko and Ayeka jabbed her mind, but she calmed herself. *Could this be an earthquake? But I thought that Japan never gets one of these* Strengthening her resolve, she decided to investigate.  
  
**************************************************************  
  
"What's wrong Masaki, I hope this warm-up isn't too overwhelming for you!"  
  
His voice pierced through Tenchi's brain like a hot poker through ice cream. For the entire morning so far, Tenchi had only this man's face to look forward too. They had been at it nonstop for over two hours, Tenchi often found himself struggling to get air into is lungs while this person hadn't even broken a sweat yet. It amazed Tenchi how good this man was able to back up his cocky demeanor, striking him almost at will. It seemed every movement he made, every breath Tenchi took, a counterattack seemed to stare him in the face. He cursed his luck for having this person be his master for the next whoever knows how long.  
  
*Did you HAVE to pick this guy grandpa? I swear he never SHUTS UP!*  
  
"Come now boy, surely you can land one blow?"  
  
Unfortunately for Tenchi, Daimyo's taunts were backed up by years of experience that would make a perfectionist cringe. Surviving days alone as a child during what his planet considered boot camp, constantly being reminded that one day he would have to assume his role as the lead warrior. Everyday seemed like a struggle. But now, through a turn of events, here he was, sparing with a low level child.  
  
"Ok ah, I think we can take a break now." Streaks of sweat jumped off his brow and accumulated into puddles by his feet. "I mean its already 8:15."  
  
"Break? We haven't even started yet."  
  
"What!? Come on we've been at this since 5!! I barely got enough rest last night!"  
  
Cracking his knuckles and stretching his legs, Daimyo reminded himself that these Earthlings must have a very different approach to war as his people do,  
  
*Maybe that's why their so weak.*  
  
"How can you ever hope to reach your full potential when all you do is slack?"  
  
*Oh great, now he's really starting to sound like grandpa.*  
  
"Look, I'm hungry so our training is over for today. If you wanna keep going without me, that's fine. I'll be in the house." He bowed slightly before heading towards the house. Daimyo's hand on his shoulder stopped him abruptly.  
  
"We stop when I say we stop."  
  
The bluntness that re-enforced those words slightly frightened Tenchi before he regained his composure and, hesitantly, retook his fighting stance. The actual duration of their session, combined with the overall intensity was taking it's toll on the young Masaki's body. His arms were like jelly, shaking involuntarily from all the swinging he has done, His lungs felt as if he had swallowed lighter fluid and just eaten a lit match, and now, to add insult to injury, he was now feeling the pangs of hunger. He almost collapsed then and there.  
  
Then, just like the day before, he heard his name being called by the goddess of the kitchen.  
  
"Tenchi, did you hear that rumbling? It sounded like....," her voice trailed off as she looked around and saw the remains of the what used to be Tenchi's usual training ground. Fallen tree bark, and open earth greeted her. She was beginning to think that the house was being attacked before Tenchi calmed her down.  
  
"Oh, don't ask, Sasami. Long story, heh-heh."  
  
"Hey Tenchi you look tired, how long have you been out here? C'mon let me fix you something."  
  
"This is not a place for children. Go home. Now."  
  
Usually known for her innocent and childlike demeanor, Sasami's thoughts were refreshing in a house so full of worries. But there was another side to her. A side that more than one member of the house has seen whenever they skip a meal or interrupt her favorite t.v time. This was the Sasami that made even the emperor of Jurai himself use extra amounts of caution.  
  
"Hey, who do you think you are, talking to me like that!? I'm not one of your servants to be giving orders to!"  
  
"Be quiet child and head back to your dolls before I get angry."  
  
"You....you jerk! Fine, I'll go, but only because your face is making me ill!"  
  
She stormed her way back into the house. A loud thud was heard as a door crashed shut, breaking several windows in the process.  
  
"Oh great now you've done it!! She'll probably take it out on our food now!"  
  
Daimyo sneered before answering. "It's disgusting how you fear a child."  
  
"W-what? What the hell is your problem! Sasami is a person with feelings and not just a child!"  
  
"A very annoying child."  
  
The last comment erased every trail of fatigue from Tenchi's body as if he was just dipped into the fountain of youth. Adrenaline was replaced in every muscle, every fiber in his being. He clenched his fists as well as his teeth, struggling to keep calm.  
  
"That's...it. I bring you to my home....and first...you try to kill me, then you wake me from the most pleasant nights rest I've had in months...you put me through hell before the sun comes up and now...you have the...BALLS...to insult my little sister?"  
  
"And what exactly do you plan on doing about it rookie?"  
  
"AHHH!!!!"  
  
He ran up to Daimyo, swinging his bokken at an incredibly fast rate. Gone were his thoughts of how tough this man was compared to him. At this moment, all that mattered was silencing this threat to his family. Every stress that coursed through his body, his spirit, was now using this new comer as an outlet. Would he die? Maybe. Would it matter? No. All that mattered was this moment. How dare this man insult his family, his very being, his reason to go on and triumph? Kagato did, and is now dead. Yuzuha tried to, and was vanquished. Dr. Clay tried to, but he wont hurt anyone for a while. Would this jerk with a big mouth pay? Time surely likes to keep her secrets.  
  
He found himself struggling to keep up with Tenchi's newfound vigor. Though not swinging like a madman, Tenchi fought at unorthodox levels. Confusing the warrior. After an eternity, Tenchi jumped high into the air, with the sun to his back. Peeking up at the boy, Daimyo was able to make out a vague shape behind him, though he couldn't now it at the time, he was looking at a flicker of theWings of the Lighthawk. Tenchi brought his bokken down with enough force that not only did he manage to directly make contact with Daimyo's head, but he also broke his bokken into pieces.  
  
They stood in their fixed positions for what seemed like ages. Having vented all his anger, Tenchi exhausted himself. Looking down at what remained of his bokken and nervously waited for the inevitable to happen.  
  
*I can see it now.* A vision of a newspaper headline came into his mind *Student smashed to bits by unknown assailant.*  
  
"S-sorry." was all he could manage to say.  
  
Slowly bringing his hand up to his forehead, Daimyo carefully inspected the damage. A trail of blood was on his hand when he brought it down.  
  
"Quite all right Masaki....your first lesson is done."  
  
Without hesitation, Tenchi quickly bowed and left with no questions asked. He scurried his way home, and made it back in 7 minutes.  
  
Daimyo stood alone and contemplated what he had just witnessed.  
  
*Is that his secret?...When he fights for himself, he's a below average warrior but...when forced to defend the honor of his loved ones, he then shows his true potential...* His thoughts trailed back to his conversation with Yosho.  
  
'From what I've seen in the past, he has an incredible power laying dormant within him.'  
  
"I think I'm beginning to understand" he said to himself. "Perhaps there is more to this boy than meets the eye. Well it's about time I had a challenge." He then found a comfortable spot to meditate and ponder his next move.  
  
High above in the sky, unknown to anyone, Ryoko eyed the entire scene since it's beginning. She knew something was going on when she heard Tenchi talking to someone else in the middle of the night. She followed him that morning and silently watched. She found it to be the perfect opportunity to scout her new rival. With today's lesson now over, she sought out her own private spot where she can go over the bits and pieces of her newly found information.  
  
********************************************************************  
  
"That stupid jerk! I should go back right now and give him a piece of my mind!" Sasami quirked at herself. "Oh, why don't you play with your dolls" she said in a mock impersonation. "I hate him!  
  
She rinsed her face with water and, forgetting where she had placed her towel, went to her room to check for it. She made her way there and sat on a huge carrot shaped sofa. *I wonder where's Ryo-Ohki.* she said, finding her towel. Looking up after drying her face, she was greeted by the face of an angel.  
  
"What's wrong Sasami?"  
  
"Oh, nothing Tsunami. That Daimyo guy just got on my nerves, that's all."  
  
The goddess chuckled and gave a sweet smile before responding. "Is that all? Come now Sasami, you know that not everyone can be as polite as Tenchi."  
  
"Yeah I guess your right." she said, calming down.  
  
"To tell you the truth Sasami, I've been watching him for a while and I think he has a good heart, he's just very.....brash. I think you should give him a chance. Besides, weren't you the one bragging about how cute he was?"  
  
"Oh no way. Well, yeah he is kinda cute. And that jewel on his forehead.....it fits him nicely." She said, touching her own markings.  
  
"Oh and here I was saving him for myself." said Tsunami.  
  
The mood of their conversation changed when Sasami asked the question that was burning her mind. "Tsunami? My sister is coming back soon right?"  
  
With a small sigh, Tsunami carefully maneuvered her way through the question.  
  
"Sasami, your family has gone through worse ordeals than this and have come out unscathed. I'm sure you will be reunited very soon."  
  
Sasami hung her head, letting her negative thoughts take over. She thought of how she'd never see her sister again, of how she'd never again experience the sisterly bonding that was precious to her. Naturally feeling these emotions through their link, Tsunami thought of the only way to cheer up her younger counterpart.  
  
"Now, what do you suppose is a fitting punishment for belittling a princess of Jurai?"  
  
Sasami washed away her thoughts of sadness to devise a way to easily get back at Daimyo's rudeness. She drew a mischievous grin, and Tsunami, once again reading her intentions, found her idea to be a very suitable, if not a cruel and unusual, punishment.  
  
"Sasami, you'll make an excellent goddess one day."  
  
***********************************************************  
  
Ryoko laid back on the roof of the Masaki home. She had many places that she went to whenever she needed to clear her head, or be by herself. This was the most convenient spot at the time as it felt too humid to be indoors. The clouds gave just enough protection from the sun that it didn't bother her eyes or her skin. Her first choice would have been the cave where she and Tenchi first met, but she changed her mind when she thought how sacred that place was. It was there to remember Tenchi and his childhood, not to lament over worries. So, she laid on the roof, trying to piece together the puzzle in her mind.  
  
*His technique was almost flawless.....how could he move so fast for someone so....bulky? He seemed so calm, so in control.....maybe he's just too strong for me?*  
  
*No Ryoko, you are the most feared name in the galaxy. You can't let this guy get to you.*  
  
*But he's so powerful.....that one hit almost knocked me out. And thank goodness Tenchi was fast enough to move out of the way of most of his attacks.*  
  
*But that's just it you baka! You're the one who's supposed to be protecting Tenchi, not goodness!*  
  
She's settle most of her problems throughout life with either her fist or her energy blade. Battles were as common to her as prayer was in church. She's lived with the notion that the strong rule and the weak suffer, a concept Kagato fully burned into her being. All she has known was chaos, until that is, a boy named Tenchi Masaki opened her heart to the emotional pleasure that was so denied from her all her life. Even if it did take a little situation such as the Zero incident to make her fully realize her feelings, she would gladly die for him if it would make him happy.  
  
*So, Ryoko, what if your not good enough to protect him? What if this new guy just goes crazy one morning and pounds Tenchi out of existence? Would you try to get revenge? Hell, you were barely able to keep up with that princess. That princess. The same woman you so enjoyed toying with before. Face it, you've gone soft. So guess what? In case Tenchi needs you, he'll die, you'll die, and if you don't die, you'll wish you had. And why? Because you were weak.*  
  
Clenching her fist until a hint of blood trickled down her hand, she stood and launched that same hand into the air, as if to show the universe itself how strongly she felt towards this one boy.  
  
"No, I will get stronger. I'll never let anyone harm Tenchi, not ever. Now matter how powerful they are, as long as I have life in my body I will never be too weak to help. And if it comes to it, then I'd gladly give up my soul to see him safe. There's only one thing left to do now... I hope she'll say yes."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
A cold and tired figure walks through the remains of a long ago battlefield. Lonely and frightened, she desperately searches for civilization. She stops and falls on the ground. Her legs can no longer carry her. She waits, whether the merciful hand of death or the warm stare of the sun even she doesn't know. She wraps her arms around herself as her tattered robes to do not provide adequate protection from the night's breeze.  
  
*Ok Ayeka, just calm down and relax. Just get through the night and you'll be fine. The sun will be out soon and you'll be able to see better and you'll be able to warm up at least a little. You'll see.*  
  
She managed to get a humble amount of rest, occasionally waking up to pick off a few random insects and to reassure herself that all will be explained.  
  
A few hours later, the sun came out and commanded her to wake up. It's rays hit her body, bringing much longed for warmth. She sat on her knees and wiped away the sleep from her eyes. Only did she realize the armored men surrounding her.  
  
"So you're the one that came from the portal. Pretty, pretty."  
  
She saw that the voice came from a tall figure, so tall that she strained her neck to see his face. He easily stood over 7 feet in height. Even when she did manage to find where his face was supposed to be, it was covered with long streaks of black hair. She could tell he was slim, not bone thin, but slim indeed. She was too shocked to form words into her mouth.  
  
"Snatch her, men."  
  
The troop members gathered around Ayeka, thinking a rush tactic would be best. She managed to raise her shield, preventing anyone from coming into her space.  
  
While not very effective at deterring away attackers, it was the only thing she could have done at the time. Bright lights flashed in front of the guards. One member attempted to run right through the wall of energy, but only managed to get knocked backwards. The other's realized that they wouldn't have much better luck and hesitated.  
  
"What are you waiting for?? Kill kill kill kill!!!  
  
"But, general Voog.... we can't"  
  
A fist through his chest was all the man received as an answer by his superior.  
  
"Weakling!! Anyone else here a weakling!?"  
  
"Please stop it! I'm just a lost person who wants to find her way home, why must you insist on attacking me??"  
  
The realization slowly sunk in. She knew that this situation would end with either herself being dead, or having more blood on her hands. Nervously, the remaining members attempted to once again break Ayeka's force fields. Their futile attempts to break her seal gave her enough time to think of a plan that was just crazy enough to work. Point, and blast.  
  
Concentrating on making her shield act as a projectile, she force fully expelled energy in every direction. Their screams filled that day as the explosion caused Ayeka to become off balanced herself. She was a princess of an entire planet, which didn't matter now, as the law of the jungle remains true anywhere, kill or be killed.  
  
"Not again..." Grief swelled in her heart once more. It gave her no pleasure to take any life. She had thought it ironic, how she grieved for these strangers, but at home, she fought everyday with Ryoko and almost finished her rival for good.  
  
"I must remedy that when I return."  
  
"He-he, pretty pretty"  
  
He stood directly behind her, and eclipsed the sun from her viewpoint.  
  
"Heh-heh, that tickled. May I have another?  
  
His hand slapped her unconscious before she had a chance to scream. A devilish grin appeared on his face at the new developments that unfolded before his eyes. To see a woman with this amount of strength was rare indeed. He planned on killing her then and there, but now thought found much use for her. He slumped her over his shoulder, and vanished from view. His destination, the empire.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
Sasami completed the last of the preparations. Dinner was ready, dishes were in place as well as forks, chopsticks, knives and napkins. Three plates rested on one side of the table, one on the other. Each of these plates were covered food that seemed fit for a royal court. Tender servings of steak, complimented by white rice and vegetables awaited the residents of the Masaki home. All but one. Sasami grinned at the special plate she was reserving just for Daimyo.  
  
She cleared her throat and began striking a frying pan with a soup spoon, all the while screaming "Dinner's ready!" announcing that her creation was complete.  
  
"I hope I make it in time", said Tenchi, finishing up the last of his chores.  
  
"Such annoyances. But a home cooked meal would be welcomed," growled Daimyo's stomach just outside the home.  
  
Everyone, except for Washu, sat at the table within minutes. She had been diligently trying to find a way to bring Ayeka back, and was excused from dinner. Sasami sat at one side of the table, next to Tenchi. Next to him sat Ryoko. This left Daimyo to himself, opposite the group. It took an effort to get into a comfortable position. He was impressed by how easy the others seemed to make it look, to sit down on top of your calves. He tried his best to imitate the group, but lacked the grace that the others had.  
  
"Wow Sasami, is all this for us?" said Tenchi eyeing his steak.  
  
"Huh-huh, all for my family," she proudly proclaimed. She looked over at Daimyo. He bore an agitated face, and she did her best to feign concern. "Something wrong Mr. Daimyo?"  
  
"There isn't any food on my plate." He said bluntly.  
  
"Oh that's because I'm saving a special plate just for you."  
  
*I wonder why he gets the special plate. * Ryoko wondered.  
  
A half hour passed. Tenchi was up to his second plate of rice, after Ryoko challenged him to an eating contest. Which now he realized was a stupid idea seeing as he had given up about halfway through while Ryoko downed her third plate. After everyone was done, Daimyo still had not received his share. He was about to leave before Sasami announced that his plate was done cooking.  
  
*Finally. I'd begun to think that I'd die of starvation.*  
  
She carefully carried his dish onto the table. It was impossible to view the creation yet, as it was topped by a special silver cover. She placed it in front of him. "And now I present to you....your dinner!"  
  
Before lifting off the cover, Daimyo sat with a salivating mouth at the possible feast he would receive. If it was half as good as what the other's were eating, then the wait would have been well worth it. Ryoko resisted the urge to laugh, Tenchi resisted the urge to vomit, and Daimyo resisted the urge to face-vault as Sasami revealed her "special" plate. A horribly overcooked squid seemed to wink at him. The smell overpowered the room.  
  
"Oh my how did that happen? Gee I guess I overcooked it. Oh well, enjoy," she said, pushing the plate in front of Daimyo.  
  
He clenched his teeth fiercely and his hands were visibly shaking with anger. Sasami had begun to think that maybe she had gone a bit too far. She knew it was an insult to mess with a man's food, but Daimyo had taken this much more personally than she thought he would. Then, with an unpredictability that the group came to expect, a smirk appeared on the side of his face.  
  
"Checkmate Sasami." He rose to his full height and slightly bowed. "I apologize for my earlier outburst. I see now that you are not a mere child, but a strong willed young woman." Trying as she might, she couldn't resist the urge to blush wildly.  
  
"Now, if you'll excuse me."  
  
He walked towards the door, leaving Ryoko, and Tenchi scratching their heads. It became clear that his mood sings were as strong as his power.  
  
"What do you suppose that was all about?" said Ryoko.  
  
"Ugh. Don't ask. He's like that."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Try spending a few hours sparring with him and you'll see what I mean." Said Tenchi.  
  
Before Daimyo made it past the closet, it opened in a flash, startling him into a defensive posture. A small, red-headed figure emerged with a huge grin on her face.  
  
"I've done it people!. oh it's you," she said noticing Daimyo, "Can't you just relax for one second?!  
  
"What?...."  
  
"Anyway like I was saying.... I did it!!"  
  
Chibi Washu doll A popped up and congratulated her programmer, "Of course Washu, you're the best!"  
  
It was soon followed by Chibi Washu doll B, "The unstoppable Washu!!"  
  
The two chibi bots dug back into Washu's hair and vanished.  
  
"What in Draka are those?!" yelled Daimyo.  
  
"Uh, what exactly did you do Washu?" inquired Tenchi.  
  
"Well boys and girls, I think I may have come closer to solving our problem."  
  
"You mean Ayeka's coming back!" said an enthusiastic Sasami.  
  
"Well kiddo, why don't you all step into the lab of the greatest scientific mind in the universe and find out the answers to all your questions..."  
  
Next Chapter- Blueprint of a Burning Soul-part 2 


	4. Blueprint of a Burning Soul, Part 2

Disclaimer- I do not own Tenchi Muyo or any of its characters. The only profit I gain in writing this is the knowledge that this may be read by the internet community, and fellow Tenchi Muyo fans. As I've said before, I've incorporated elements from the TV series as well as the OAV's. If you see something that you think doesn't fit, just roll with it.  
  
Shogun Muyo: Chapter 4 - Blueprint of a Burning Soul, part 2  
  
They sat neatly in semicircle formation, Tenchi sat at the left end of the semicircle, followed by Ryoko, then Sasami and finally Daimyo. They sat behind desks while Washu stood in front of them behind a podium. She was wearing a black robe with a matching black hat that looked similar to the ones that American graduates would wear. In the background hung a large blank screen.  
  
Tenchi found the scene reminiscent of a high school science lesson, but shook that thought out of his head. The last thing he wanted to think about was school.  
  
He looked around and saw Sasami sitting with her hands clasped neatly on her lap while a tired Ryo-Ohki sat on her head. She still hadn't found the cause of her friend's ailment, but right now, sitting next to Daimyo, she found it harder than usual to think of her furry friend. Ryoko sat with her arms crossed and prepared herself for another one of her mother's antics. She knew exactly how eccentric the genius could get.  
  
"All right students, time to begin the first lesson of the day," she said, tapping the podium with a ruler. Washu cleared her throat while the lights dimmed to better view the blank screen behind her. "We have recently been plagued with several puzzling dilemmas that have seemingly to appear without warning. To be more specific, the disappearance of our own miss Ayeka and the appearance of Mr. Daimyo sitting right over there. Now there are several questions that must be addressed if we are to solve this problem. Number one, where has Ayeka disappeared to? Number two, what connection does Daimyo have to this event? And finally how do we get her back?"  
  
Ryoko took advantage of the dimmed lights and stealthily leaned over to Sasami, who was listening intently, and whispered something into her ear.  
  
"Gee, they should rename her to 'Washu master of the obvious!'" She was careful to talk at a barely audible level.  
  
Immediately, a flowerpot landed square on her head.  
  
"Something to add miss Ryoko?"  
  
" Uhhhh. N-no." She managed to yelp.  
  
*Strange Earth customs.* Thought Daimyo. Tenchi just shook his head.  
  
"To continue," added Washu, I have spent tireless hours finding out the answers to these questions and have come to several theories that may be able to explain what happened. But first, we must understand why this phenomena occurred in the first place so that it will not be repeated."  
  
Tenchi raised his hand and patiently waited to be called upon, knowing full well the consequences of doing otherwise.  
  
"Ah a question. Yes Tenchi?"  
  
He stood, and mentally prepared for the worst. "Um, I'm sorry if I sound rude Washu but...."  
  
"Ahem, Professor Washu" she corrected, clearing her throat.  
  
"Err, yeah professor Washu, but in all due respect can you please leave out the needless details and just tell us how to get Ayeka back?"  
  
The genius controlled herself, realizing that Tenchi only wanted to be helpful.  
  
"There is no such thing as a needless detail. Now, unless you have another question of how I should run my class, please take a seat."  
  
"Yes, professor." Tenchi said with a sigh, sitting back down.  
  
"Now as I was saying," at these words the once blank screen lit up. Images of a chibi version of Washu working diligently on some sort of machinery popped up, the cartoon like figure looked a lot like one of her miniature Washu dolls.  
  
"For the last several weeks, I have been working on the reconstruction of the dimensional tuner. I'm sure you all know what remember what happened the last time we used that piece of machinery." Miniature versions of Ayeka, Tenchi and Ryoko appeared on the screen, re-enacting the events of the demon of rashomon fiasco. Shortly after that, a Chibi-Mihoshi was shown with Tenchi as her husband.  
  
Flashbacks of how he and Ryoko were wanted criminals rushed back into Tenchi's head. He remembered how Ryoko gave up her perfect world for him. He looked over at her, and concluded that she was thinking of it too, as she gave him a warm smile. Now that he thought about it, she really did look pretty, despite the flowerpot firmly resting on her head.  
  
"Now, analyzing what went wrong, I realized that its defect was that there were too many variables to consider when making the users vision of a perfect world. The margin for error was too great and the CPU glitched. Keeping this in mind, I reprogrammed it so that instead of creating a perfect world, it would seek out and locate these dimensions."  
  
"How does that relate to Ayeka's disappearance you might ask. Well, let me take you back to the day in question. The morning of this fateful occurrence, Ryoko was involved in a huge scuffle with her," the screen showed miniature versions of Ayeka and Ryoko shooting lasers at each other with their teeth shaped like daggers. A chibi Sasami was in the background crying what looked like waterfalls from each eye. The image would have been humorous, except that Ryoko cringed as she remembered every word and every blow that was thrown on that day.  
  
".....the battle found it's way into my lab, and without realizing it, Ayeka entered random coordinates into the control panel in all the confusion." Ryoko remembered how Ayeka had to regain her composure on one of Washu's machines, but didn't think anything of it until now.  
  
"My theory is that she was transferred to wherever these coordinates were placed to go. But before you ask, no these coordinates are not there anymore, they have apparently been erased from the CPU's memory. Any questions so far?"  
  
Sasami raised a small hand in the air.  
  
"Yes Sasami?"  
  
"But how does that explain how Daimyo got here?"  
  
"Finally, an excellent question, and one that I was just about to address." The screen showed a miniature Ayeka standing on what was supposed to be the Earth while a smaller version of Daimyo stood on an unknown planet. "It seems to me that wherever these coordinates were placed to go, Daimyo was standing at the exact same area. As unlikely as that is, call it blind luck I suppose. And you see Sasami, according to the laws of physics, no two bodies of mass can occupy the exact same place at the exact same time. So the tuner probably got confused and exchanged these two bodies, namely Ayeka and Daimyo." The miniature cartoonish figures were exchanged through a small tunnel on the screen.  
  
"That's where you come in sir."  
  
He raised an eyebrow at her implications. "I have come to the conclusion that there are two ways in which to retrieve our lost friend. One would be to systematically go through each dimension one by one until I found her, but that would take approximately," she pulled out an illustrious looking calculator that was bigger than both her hands, "10,568 years." After the initial shock, the scientist continued. "The other way is to study every aspect of our new visitor.  
  
"What would this accomplish? Daimyo spoke, in a deep tone. She resisted the urge to send a flowerpot in his direction for calling out in class. "It's quite simple really. Just as a bloodhound can seek a person out through his or her scent, I can track down this specific planet, provided that I have this dimensions scent, if you will. And you're the closest thing I have to a sweat-sock if you catch my drift. So to conclude this session, just remember that the greatest scientific mind in the universe is handling this, so try not too worry too much. Especially you Sasami."  
  
The lights came back on and the screen went blank once again, marking the end of Professor Washu's session. "That is all for today. If there are any further questions, you may see me after class. You're dismissed."  
  
*Well, I guess that's that.*  
  
Readjusting his vision, Tenchi left to resume his daily chores. Daimyo sought a quiet place to meditate. Sasami decided it was best if she went to her room, it had after all, been a long day. Washu typed some commands into her holotop to reorganize her lab. The desks and tables that once occupied this space disappeared into holes on he floor that led to different dimensions. Ryoko watched and hesitantly considered whether or not to follow up with her earlier plans.  
  
Would the scientist think her mad? Was she being selfish? After all, Washu still hadn't located the princess, and as times consuming as that is, a request like this might send her into overload. Even though Ryoko was enjoying life without her, she couldn't stand to see the look on Sasami's face at the mention of her sister's dilemma. But without Washu's help, all of her plans would go up in smoke. It was now or never.  
  
*Well, I guess now is a good a time as any.* Thought Ryoko. Floating next to her creator. Washu had already restarted her research. Ryoko looked at the screen the scientist was working on and couldn't bring herself to understand what was on it. Then again, she could never exactly figure out her mother either.  
  
"Uh hey Washu I need...a favor."  
  
"Oh wait a sec," said Washu, interrupting her daughter, "Ryoko, could you please pass me that backscratcher over there? I have this itch that just won't go away." She pointed to the other side of the room. A little frustrated and confused, Ryoko floated to a corner of the lab and picked up a brightly colored Popsicle, complete with a rounded end, a ribbed shaft and power grip handle. She found it odd that it was also specifically designed to move in five speeds.  
  
She went back to her creator and as Washu turned to look at what her daughter was carrying, her eyes bulged out and abruptly took it away from her. She tried her best to hide it behind her back.  
  
"My, my, how did that get there?" said Washu as a sweatdrop fell from the back of both of their heads. "Well a girl has to have her fun too you know!"  
  
Ryoko gave her mother a confused look, having no idea what she was talking about. "Uh, yeah, whatever."  
  
"So anyway you had something to ask me?"  
  
"Like I said, I need a favor." She stated simply.  
  
"A favor huh...I do way too many of those. Forget it."  
  
A tinge of anger crossed Ryoko's face before it turned into an expression of defeat. How could she become stronger now? How could she protect Tenchi if the need arrived? There was only so much she could do by herself. Well, at least she tried.  
  
She hung her head, and prepared to leave.  
  
"That's what I would have said, but because it's you, I'll make an exception" said Washu just as Ryoko was about to phase out of the room. Her face brightened and she was overcome with relief.  
  
"Really? Great!"  
  
"Buuuuuuuuuuut"  
  
"But what?"  
  
"I'll only do it under one condition." Said Washu as she turned her back.  
  
"Ah, ok what?"  
  
"You call me MOM!!"  
  
Ryoko recovered from her face-vault just in time so that Washu didn't notice it. The vibration from her head hitting the floor seemed not to register in the genius' mind.  
  
"Now let me take a wild guess here...your having doubts about your power and want my help to get stronger. Is that right?"  
  
Ryoko stood with her mouth open and wondered how anyone found out about her intentions, *Did she hear me on the roof?*  
  
"How did you..."  
  
"Have you forgotten already?" said Washu, pointing to her temple. " I'm linked to you remember? You can't keep anything from your dear mother. Now, what suggestions do you have about how we should go about this?"  
  
Ryoko scratched her head, she wasn't very good at planning ahead and depended on others to fill in that detail. "Uh, well, I just thought you'd give me a pill or something that could make me super-strong." She said, flexing her biceps and giving a wink. Washu sighed and placed her hand over her face. How naive kids were sometimes.  
  
"Do I look like a genie? Did I come out of a magic lamp and offer you three wishes?? No, you know why? Cause I'm a scientist, not a genie! Now, how about the old fashioned way, you know, actually training??"  
  
"I've thought of that already!"  
  
"Relax, your gonna blow a vein or something." Washu said trying to calm her daughter down.  
  
"Anyway I don't really have that good of a sparring partner right now." She inwardly apologized to Tenchi for calling him weak.  
  
"Well how about that Daimyo? I'm sure he can keep up with you if you get serious. He seems to have a plentiful amount of experience in the battlefield, and besides, he looks good when he's all sweaty."  
  
"Are you kidding? I can't even stand watching him train, let alone think about training with him."  
  
"What? You actually watch him?"  
  
"Hell no, nothing like that, just when he's with Tenchi. To make sure he doesn't push him too hard. But just throw that idea out the window."  
  
Washu sat and pondered over Ryoko's problem. She knew her daughter was serious, but she couldn't simply abandon her search for Ayeka. If it was up to her, she'd design an entire planet for her daughter to play with, but that would consume too much time, a luxury they couldn't afford these days. Somewhere out there, a princess was crying out for her friends.  
  
"Ryoko, listen up. There's something that I didn't want to say in front of Sasami, but it's something you should understand to grasp the severity of all of this."  
  
Ryoko wasn't used to her mother using this tone of voice, so she decided to listen intently as the genius spoke spoke. "While it is true that the exact coordinates of where Ayeka has gone too have been erased, I managed to look at thirty percent of the information that was still left. When inputting the data of the world you want to look for, not only do you have to place in the coordinates, but you also have to put in a balanced amount of feedback. I won't go into any 'needless detail' like Tenchi would say, but this is a critical element in deciding where you would end up.  
  
"Yeah, so?"  
  
"Now, the negative feedback was more than three times the amount of the positive feedback necessary to counter balance each others effect. These settings had to be inputted correctly in order to narrow the machines search. Do you understand what this means?"  
  
"Not at all." Said Ryoko in a flat tone.  
  
"Ugh. What this means is, while I'm not certain, I'm pretty sure that Ayeka would have been transferred to an area that was the opposite of what she considered a perfect world. Sort of like living in a nightmare. Meaning that somewhere out there, that girl is suffering and can't understand why her friends aren't there to help her. So you see now my main concern in bringing her back."  
  
Ryoko briefly thought of her idea of a nightmare world. Her early experiences in life were nothing but a nightmare. No love, no warmth, no friends, no Tenchi. Just Kagato laughing at her, endlessly. She was his puppet for so long she almost accepted her fate. She knew all too well how hell must feel. Being forced to kill innocent people including wives, and children. Their pleas for mercy falling on the deaf ear of a power-mad villain. The feeling was dreadful indeed, and even though her and the princess have never seen eye to eye, she wished that fate on no one.  
  
"But I'll tell you what, if you're really serious about this, then you'll need to have the best equipment. It would only take a day or two to make, but since I have to do it in between pinpointing Ayeka's location, it'll probably take a little bit longer."  
  
"Well uh, mom, it just has to be enough so I can get back to how I was. I mean, if I'm going to bodyguard Tenchi, I have to be ready for anything. But thanks. It would really mean a lot to me."  
  
"Well, I hardly think he needs a bodyguard. Just make sure you don't get in the habit of asking me for favors like this. Now get out of here, I need to get back to work."  
  
Smiling, Ryoko phased in front of the doorway separating Washu's lab from the house. With Ayeka gone, she needed something to keep her mind occupied. Although she'd never admit it, things weren't as lively around the house as it usually is without her around. *Maybe I'll go tease Tenchi a little.*  
  
Before exiting the lab, she turned to Washu who was sitting at her station, typing away as usual. She was so quiet, and seemed so withdrawn. It had just occurred to Ryoko that this was how her creator, her mother, spent most, if not all, her time. Cooped up in a lab, like a bird in a cage, while the others flew freely around the house. She thought of her own time locked away in that cave, how cold it felt, how lonely she was. Then she thought of how Washu herself must have felt, imprisoned on that bastard's ship for so long.  
  
She floated to her mother's side and planted a quick kiss on her cheeks. "See you later mom." Washu, a little shocked, took a few seconds to comprehend what had just happened. Ryoko had already phased out of the room before she could turn around. Her instincts told her to follow, but she was paralyzed with joy. After all this time, Ryoko had at least acknowledged Washu as her mother. She reminded herself that long journeys begin with a single step, and this had been a jog, a leap and a bus ride in the right direction.  
  
"I love you too, my daughter." She allowed herself a few moments of reflection, letting a single teardrop roll down her cheek. "Well, time to get back to work."  
  
******************************************************************  
  
Sasami sat in her room. After making her futon and sweeping the floor, she immersed herself in her thoughts. She couldn't help but blush and giggle at herself. All the while, her shadow grew and changed into that of a woman, her future self, Tsunami.  
  
"My, my aren't we cheerful tonight." She said with a warm smile. "May I ask what's the occasion?"  
  
Sasami tried to make up a lie to conceal her feelings, but that was a skill that was not as developed as her sister's.  
  
"Oh I just, uh had a lot of candy that's all..."  
  
"Sasami?," she crossed her arms, "you know better than to lie to me."  
  
"Ok ok. Well he.... he apologized!! He called me a young lady! And, and, then he said I had a strong will!!" She bounced up and down all over the room as her cheers grew louder.  
  
Tsunami tried her best to imitate an Earth song she overheard children singing one day. "Sasami and Daimyo sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Sasami with a baby-carriage!" she sang.  
  
"Oh stop it, I'm much to young for that." Said Sasami, throwing a pillow at her future self. She couldn't stop her face from turning beat red.  
  
"Sasami, I have come to inform you of something."  
  
"Huh? What is it?"  
  
Tsunami placed an arm over Sasami's shoulders and looked out into the vastness of the universe and saw what only the eyes of a goddess may see.  
  
"The time is near, little one."  
  
Sasami realized her exact meaning with no further questions.. "Already? But I thought it would take much longer.."  
  
"Why do you appear so sad little one? It's merely an assimilation, nothing more."  
  
"But that's just it. Afterwards, I...I won't be me....I'll be you..." she brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, seemingly trying to comfort herself.  
  
"Nonsense. Your forgetting one important detail, you and me are the same. We'll share one mind, one being. We won't be two separate people, just one being. You'll see it won't be so bad. You'll see."  
  
"But what about my family? Father, mommy and mommy Funaho, and Tenchi and Ryoko and....Ayeka.." she looked into the space that usually occupied her sister whenever they slept together and almost let her negative thoughts get back into her mind.  
  
One of the pros of being a goddess is that you can come up with countless ways to avoid directly answering a question.  
  
"You worry too much Sasami. No one will deny you see your family, provided you.." she caught herself in mid sentence, but quickly rebounded, changing subjects, "I have an idea. Why don't you talk to that Daimyo fellow?" The sound of his name cheered up the pigtailed princess almost instantly. "Maybe you can help him to open up to everyone."  
  
"Well, he's probably busy right now..."  
  
"Sasami, you can't hide your feelings from me. Go talk to him. Maybe you two can be good friends after all. Besides, it'll take your mind off of all of this, at least for a little while."  
  
"Sasami are you talking to someone?" said Ryoko as her head phased through the wall. She was somewhat relieved to find Sasami standing by herself in front of a mirror.  
  
"Oh sorry Ryoko, I guess I was thinking out loud."  
  
"Oh well, all right. Good night kiddo."  
  
"Good night." Sasami replied.  
  
After Ryoko had phased out of the room, Sasami stood biting the thumbnail of one of her small hands. Her face full of determination, she walked on shaky legs down the stairs, out the house, and towards her destiny.  
  
**************************************************************************** ****  
  
Outside, Tenchi stood just through the doorway and stared straight up into the moon. It's light seemingly beckoning him to let it wash over his body and soothe all his worries away. It had only been the second time today he truly felt at peace. His tranquility ruined only by the nagging thought in his head that he was somehow being selfish. There he was, safe and with his family, while one of his dearest friends was lost somewhere. He pushed those thoughts out, remembering that the princess didn't survive so many battles with Ryoko by being a pushover. He closed his eyes, accepting the night into his being.  
  
He didn't get nervous when Ryoko phased behind him. Nor did he protest when she placed both arms around his waist. Only after resting her head on his back did she notice his strange behavior.  
  
"Beautiful night out here, isn't it Tenchi?"  
  
"Yeah, sure is, Ayeka."  
  
*What?!?*  
  
Like a flash, it all came staggeringly clear why Tenchi stood stargazing in the middle of the night. Why he didn't even flinch at her touch like he normally would. When she saw his face looking so.. peaceful, deep down she had hoped it was because he was thinking of her. She had been so sure, after that glance in Washu's lab. But no, he was thinking of another. It was another woman's face, another woman's name that brought this peace and serenity to his world.  
  
He never thought of her that way. She figured that all she ever was to him was that demon woman that chased him and almost fried him at his own school. Could she blame him? The princess was always so pure, so elegant....she could never be that. The thorn in her side that she could never pick out was Ayeka. The only obstacle stopping Tenchi's love for her, was Ayeka. But now, she realized, there wasn't ever any need for these obstacles, for there wasn't a love to be given to her in the first place.  
  
"Ryoko are you all right?"  
  
Trying to keep her heart from exploding in her chest, Ryoko spoke with a mask over her feelings that would make any Jurian noble proud. "Oh, n-nothing, I just, ahh, forgot something inside." She said before fading out as fast as body could.  
  
"I wonder what's her problem?" Tenchi said, scratching the back of his head.  
  
He stayed for a few minutes longer, thanking the moon for their time spent together, and retired for the day.  
  
**************************************************************************** *  
  
"RRAHH!"  
  
The rumble of Earth frightened the sleeping birds out of their nests.  
  
"KYAHH!"  
  
The sound of exploding tree bark carried itself through the surroundings. The sounds of fists and feet slicing through air told the nocturnal hunters that prey would have to be sought elsewhere.  
  
*The air on this planet is a little thick. Maybe I shouldn't push myself so hard tonight.* He took of his shirt, the humidity finally getting to him.  
  
*So, just because you're on a different planet that gives you the right to get lazy?*  
  
*.....No, of course not.*  
  
He moved like a machine with a predetermined course. All movements were precise and calculated, done a million times over in his mind.  
  
*Wide stance. No, not that wide. Elbows at 90 degrees, slight bend at knees, no, too much. Chin down. Eyes up. Speed from legs. Power from waist.*  
  
Thoughts that were all too familiar in his head. Every step, every breath, was spent towards reaching one ultimate goal, victory.  
  
So simple it was back home. Power rules all. This was the one constant that filled his childhood, if one could consider his a childhood at all. His playgrounds were the military installations of the royal court. His playmates, the hordes of armies that sought to claim his land. Everyday, a new challenge had to be overcome, anything less would mean death before puberty.  
  
He launched his fist forward, feeling the strength surge from shoulder, to arm, to fist and to target. A feeling he reveled in. Faint sounds of cracking twigs registered in his ears. It was too distinct and rhythmic to belong to an animal, but who would come to him here? In the middle of the night?  
  
*No...Had they followed me here?*  
  
"Um, hello Mr. Daimyo." Came the voice that belonged to Sasami. She appeared through a small gathering of bushes. He relaxed somewhat, relieved that his premonition hadn't come true.  
  
"Sasami? Oh it's just you."  
  
Those words dug their way into her mind. She began to feel foolish now, coming from her warm and secure house, walking through pitch-black fields in the middle of the night, and for what? 'Oh it's you.'  
  
"I just wanted to check up on you. Well I guess your ok." She lowered her head and decided it best just to return home.  
  
"So tell me, what's a pretty face like yours doing all the way out here?" His voice sang to her.  
  
Her eyes almost popped out of her head and her heart filled itself with renewed hope. It was probably best that it was so dark, so he couldn't see how red her cheeks became.  
  
"Oh, I, um, well, you see...I wanted to say I'm sorry for that whole dinner thing."  
  
The image of a crusty black squid rushed in his head. "It's all right. I probably deserved it anyway."  
  
"Yeah, you sure did. You were just so mean earlier. But you apologized so I guess it's ok now. And Mr. Daimyo...."  
  
"Please, just call me Daimyo, if I hear someone call me "Mr" one more time I swear I'll do something drastic."  
  
She laughed a little, while he placed a small smile on his face. His first since jumping into every one's lives.  
  
"Well, that's what I was going to ask you about. Your so harsh towards everyone, but no one can be that much of a blockhead. So why is it so hard to at least try to be nice to everyone? I mean if you just try it, you'll see how good having close friends are."  
  
*Blockhead? That's a first.*  
  
"Sasami, I don't belong here. For me to just walk in through those doors and expect everyone to accept me is a distortion of reality."  
  
"Oh come on. With a little effort you'll see how a great family we really are. And besides, your not the first stranger to just drop in.  
  
*Yeah like that one time with Mihoshi.*  
  
"Hm, well don't get me wrong, but I'm not big on the trust thing. I'm comfortable where I am and I don't see why I need to change anything.  
  
*I've managed to live this long haven't I?*  
  
"Hm....I guess your lonely, huh?"  
  
"What....uh, well, Sasami, I'd like to chat about that, but right now I'm in the middle of a training session. Come back later and I'll answer everything." True, he did want to talk to her. He wasn't completely trusting of everyone he met, but he was far from antisocial. However, training came above anything besides two things, actual battle, and pride.  
  
"What? Fine." She stormed off into the direction of the house, much like earlier in the day. She was frustrated that she wasn't getting the proper respect fitted for a princess.  
  
"Checkmate," he whispered to himself. Planting himself in a lotus position, he closed his eyes to finish the second part of his training, deep meditation.  
  
*************************************************************************  
  
*Oh, I'd love to, but I'm busy. Jerk. And he actually expects me to wait?*  
  
*Be patient with him. He'll come around eventually.* said a voice in her head sounding very much like Tsunami.  
  
"Well ok, fine. I'll wait for a little while, but then I'm leaving."  
  
She found a comfortable spot a few yards away.  
  
*************************************************************************  
  
His semi-conscious state allowed old images to resurface. Images of long ago that he thought to be forgotten. A collage of his entire life lay before him. Blood, pain, triumph, victory, defeat. They all came at once, like a swarm of bees. He saw villages burn while the cries of the people filled the streets, as well as their blood.  
  
He remembered his first real battle, in the training halls of the empire. He was very young. He had just finished a few sets of stretching and breathing exercises and was just about to start going through the motions of his selected technique. Then, a group of young marauders managed to make their way into the hall. A platoon was sent to capture them, but then one of the marauders pointed at Daimyo and challenged him. They spat out remarks like "Evil one!" and "Go back to the pits of despair!"  
  
At the time, the emperor was being escorted to his chambers and overheard the exchange. He ordered his men to put down their weapons and allowed the fight to begin. He watched as this little boy went through body after body with ease.  
  
Daimyo could still feel the adrenaline take over his body. He was surprised at how effective he really was, as these people we're more than twice his size. Eventually this boy, who seemed no more than 8 years of age by Earth standards, had reserved a place as the lead general of the emperor's armies. As soon as he reached adult age, he would have been the second most respected name on his planet.  
  
But then, he returned. The one man he so hated in his life. The one image that stared into his mind's eye the longest. Laughing at him, screaming, reminding him of how he'll never be as good as the man in his nightmares. He remembered how they fought. Like titans among men. He remembered how he lost, how completely overwhelmed he was by this man's power.  
  
With is concentration broken, he snapped back into reality. The bird's that were perched on his shoulders flew away, slapping their wings together. Looking at the stars, he judged that several hours had already passed.  
  
*Have I been here that long? Its nearly time for that boy's training. I think its time he felt stage two.*  
  
He stood and stretched his knotted muscles. Cracking his knuckles and some of his joints, he picked up his shirt and made his way to the Masaki home. He wondered how he would wake up this "Tenchi" today. He almost stepped on the sleeping figure of Sasami, laying down on the ground on top of a spare blanket she found inside the house.  
  
*She took me seriously. Has she been here all this time? Waiting for me? Hmpf, she looks as cute asleep as she does when she's angry. *  
  
He gently picked her up in his thick arms carried her the rest of the way home. It took longer than he expected, as he took extra precaution not to wake her up. Finally returning home, he silently made his way inside. Unsure of where exactly she slept, he placed her on the couch. Cursing at himself for forgetting to bring the blanket she was laying on, he placed his black sweatshirt over her. It had been the perfect size for keeping her from the night breezes. He decided that he should give Tenchi a break today, he felt so at peace watching this angel sleep that all his urges to train suddenly left him. With a grin, he made his way back outside, to find a comfortable spot on a tree branch to rest for the night.  
  
He was greeted by Sasami's pet cabbit Ryo-Ohkie just outside the Masaki home. She tried her best to seem polite, but couldn't bring herself to perform the proper "Meow."  
  
"Hello little one. Are you ill?"  
  
He picked her up for a closer inspection. She easily fit in the palm of his hand. How ironic he found it that the same hands that were seemingly forged for destruction were now caring for a helpless animal. Looking around to make certain that he wasn't being watched, he placed the cabbit at eye level and stared into her eyes.  
  
It was at this point where the blue jewel on his forehead began to glow slightly, then mildly, and before long it was enough to illuminate the night in a blue aura.  
  
"Your mind is clouded. I can't understand what your trying to say. Here, I'll help."  
  
He focused on his energy from his hands. He paid attention to the heat they were giving off and slowly guided the energy from the cabbit into his body. He could tell that is was somehow trying to be corrupted. The jewel glowed brightly, and he communicated with the cabbit.  
  
"How are you little one."  
  
"Oh wow, I feel great. Wait a second, you can understand me!?"  
  
"We're talking now right?" he said chuckling.  
  
"Uh, well thank you Mr.."  
  
"Just Daimyo, call me Dai.."  
  
He fell to his knees in weakness. He had successfully cured Ryo-Ohkie of her unknown ailment, but somehow passed it onto himself. He felt his strength being siphoned away by an unseen force. Then, it stopped, as if realizing it had been discovered. Daimyo reassured his new companion, who was nudging him in concern.  
  
"Don't worry about me, I'll be ok in a few hours. That always happens when I do that." His blue jewel faded in color, breaking his mental link with Ryo-Ohkie.  
  
With a "meah-meah" she hoped into the house with a vigor she hasn't felt in ages. She even phased through the door on her first try.  
  
*What a strange sensation. I almost felt as if my very soul was trying to be stolen. *  
  
"Daimyo, I've been looking for you." Said a certain super genius with red hair.  
  
*What? Washu? Has she been there all this time? *  
  
"I need you to finish my last string of data. All I need is a certain, sample. It should only take a minute, depending on how sensitive you are." She said with an evil grin.  
  
Daimyo, like a cow before it knows it's going to be slaughtered, looked up blankly and said "Uh, sure."  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Somewhere. Nowhere. Everywhere.  
  
Tokomi looked over the universe. How she enjoyed her garden. So diverse, so full of energy. She did have her favorite variety of flower, looking over at the Earth and Jurai. She enjoyed her small moment of what humans call tranquility and wondered why her sisters visited her less often. They both currently resided on Earth, the reason why it was one of her favorite roses. Of course, all roses had their thorns. The Earth's thorn was Tenchi Masaki and those Light Hawk Wings of his.  
  
Her servant, D3, appeared in front of her, giving the latest report on the happenings of Earth.  
  
"My lady, it seems our plans have been discovered."  
  
"By whom?" replied Tokomi, who seemed unaffected by her servant's words.  
  
"We believe he may be the Lost Brother."  
  
Only at the mention of Lost Brother did Tokomi seem to react. "What? Quickly, show me proof."  
  
Immediately, a huge screen appeared in front of her, rewinding time and replaying the last few moments in front of the Masaki household. On the screen appeared a young man with a blazing blue jewel on his forehead, seemingly healing a small creature.  
  
"Daimyo? I should have known he was the Lost Brother. To think it took so long to realize.. And you say he may know of our plan?"  
  
"So we suspect. However, he have confirmation that the gem on the creature known as 'Ryo-Ohkie' is not authentic. Meaning we now know that there exists only three true gems. Also, both of the brothers are now on one planet. These new revelations should make our plans flow that much easier."  
  
"Excellent. Yes, with both of the brothers on one planet our plans should go very smoothly. Now tell me, how progresses our experiment with the Jurian princess?"  
  
"She showed tremendous possibilities in her last encounter with the one they call Ryoko. However, all power has been cut off."  
  
"I see. You serve me well D3, you will be rewarded once I achieve my ultimate victory. Continue as planned."  
  
"Yes my lady." He vanished into nothingness and everything, at the same time.  
  
Earth was now indeed her favorite flower without question. Bringing all the essential ingredients in one neat package. "So, the Dragon and the Hawk, together at last."  
  
She smiled a devious smile. Or at least that's how mortal eyes would perceive it to be. Slowly, that smile grew into a laugh, a laugh that shook the universe to its very foundation.  
  
Next: Chapter 5: The Princess Diaries 


	5. The Princess Diaries

Disclaimer- I do not own Tenchi Muyo or any of it's characters. They belong to Pioneer and AIC. I make no profit in writing this fic.  
  
Shogun Muyo: Chapter 5 - The Princess Diaries  
  
The journal of Ayeka Jurai: Day 1-Entry 1  
  
Hello journal. It has been a very difficult time for me.  
  
Merely a handful of days ago, I was enjoying the comfort of a soft bed, the refreshing feel of an onsen, and a house full of people that never stopped surprising me. What held my spirits up the most was the chance to see my beloved Tenchi everyday. His gentleness and caring has given me emotions that I can hardly manage to control by myself. If only I had the determination to actually confess these feelings... but I am happy with his mere presence. Everything seemed to fit together, and I was happy. But all that changed the morning that Ryoko and myself decided to settle the score between us once and for all.  
  
It all started as childish and as immature as all of our other skirmishes. When I walked down those stairs and saw Ryoko eating my personal favorite plate, I had written it off was excusable. I should have just walked away then and there. But no, I had to stay and argue with that woman. I guess I am to blame in a sense, but I wouldn't have let it escalate as high as it did if that woman had not said those lies about Tenchi. To mock me and my heritage is one thing, but to use the only sense of love I have felt in years against me is simply too much. Well, all that accomplished was getting Tenchi upset at me, and nearly got Sasami injured. Not to mention the fact that I am now here...wherever this is.  
  
I see now that if we had never fought that day, Tenchi wouldn't have been upset, I wouldn't have had to go comfort him, and I wouldn't have been transported here. How hellish it has been for me. I've already had to commit acts that will haunt me for the rest of my days. And I have a strange feeling that this is only the beginning....  
  
After I awoke from my unconscious state, I found myself locked away here, in this cell. In fact, there are several cells in this part of...wherever I am. I think it's supposed to be where they keep criminals and the like. I can tell that I'm in a huge complex of some kind, though I'm not sure what. There are other women who are also locked away in their own cells. I can hear some of their cries, but most just keep quiet, silently giving up I suppose.  
  
I sit here in this small cell, just big enough for myself, a bed, and a toilet. It is very dark in here, as well as very chilly. I am thankful though, that my cell is clean. At least I don't have to worry about diseases and bacteria running about. I don't know if I can say the same about the others though..  
  
From what I can tell, this place is made up of two rows of cells on either side, facing each other. When you look ahead, all you see is another prisoner in another cell. There's a hallway that separates us, I assume to allow the guards to walk freely. I'm not sure why I'm writing in this, but with nothing to do in here but wait to be fed, anything is worth trying. It seems that all I'm supposed to do is twiddle my thumbs and wait.  
  
After a few hours to deliberate my current state, the guards came in with yet another woman. She came in struggling and almost managed to escape. It was impressive how she was able to injure so many guards, and with no weapon at that. Alas, she was greatly outnumbered, and suffered the same fate as the rest of us. She was placed in the cell across from mine. Though the light here is dimmed, we're able to look at each other, and see each other's actions. She seemed to be very young, maybe a year or two younger than myself. I guess it's pointless to ask now.  
  
Although she fought until the guards overpowered her, when she looked at me I didn't see the look of ferocity that I was expecting. Instead, she softened her expression and gave me a sly smile. In fact, it is because of her that I have you right now, Mr. Journal. Well, I know you're actually a bunch of pages taped together, but I still consider you my journal. She passed one of these booklets to me, sliding it from her cell through my bars. I'm surprised that it made it in such good condition, as these bars are seemingly made of pure energy. Their glow reminds me of my current position. Attached to it was a small letter saying something about " to help stay sane." I nodded in gratitude, and she sort of winked at me.  
  
You may wonder how I can be so calm in this type of situation, but I say it's quite simple. I know that my Tenchi will come for me. Him and the others will come, and then we will be able to return home. I will forget all about this nightmare. Yes, he will come, we will be reunited and he will realize who it is he truly loves. It will be a grand wedding.  
  
Oh my, got a little ahead of myself there. Well, the guards are shutting the lights off now. Until tomorrow.  
  
The journal of Ayeka Jurai: Day 2- Entry 2  
  
I saw him today. That man who I know brought me here. He's so tall that I couldn't see his face from my cell. He was pacing back and forth between the cages. He walked past mine several times. I shivered with each step he took. He didn't say anything to us, he just walked, and looked. He went to the woman across from me, and made a gesture of some sort and she spat at him. How relieved I felt that at least someone had the courage I didn't. He laughed, turned, and noticed my own cell. When he crouched to look at me, I saw emptiness. His eyes bore no reason, just emptiness, like a black hole. He smiled at me, but a smile with no warmth, only wickedness. I could tell he was just trying to intimidate me, so I spat at him. He laughed again. A creeping, evil laugh. How sick his mind must work. When he finally left, my new companion smiled and nodded at me, reassuring my actions. For the first time in a while, I felt good.  
  
Day 2- Entry 3  
  
I looked up at the woman across from me after receiving my breakfast. Not an incredibly satisfying meal, but just enough so that I may live. Her eyes were hard to read. She looked down at her hands, as if expecting them to speak. She sat on her knees, facing my direction. She was mumbling something. I couldn't hear what though. This went on for a little while. Then, the light surrounding her actually seemed to brighten a shade of red and outline her figure. I think my eyes were playing tricks on me. I could have sworn that her hair changed color as well. Of course, it's so dark in here that I can't really tell. I was almost hypnotized by her motions. I must already be going crazy. Her hands shook, and she clenched them. She raised her head and realized that I had been watching the whole time. She only smiled, was she slightly embarrassed? I think she was trying to comfort me. She stood and walked until the glow of the bars stopped her. The light illuminated her form, which was previously covered in shadow.  
  
I don't know how I failed to notice earlier, but she had striking white hair that came to the center of her back. Judging by the conditioning of her body, I think she was an athlete of some sort. She placed her hand on her chest and said "Mireya." Was this her name? Some sort of codeword? I reacted the only way I could. I placed a hand over my own chest and said "Ayeka." She smiled again. How comforting her smile is. Afterwards, she went back to her bed, and fell asleep.  
  
That's when he came back.  
  
He went into one of the girl's cells. It was impossible to see what he was doing, but her screams filled up the blanks. I could hear her screaming for him to stop. but that laugh.. I swear it echoed throughout my soul. Oh, how she cried.. I pressed my palms to my ears so I wouldn't be able to listen, but it was inescapable. I don't know how long this went on. My tears were my only comfort today. Poor girl. She finished struggling, or maybe he killed her, I'm not sure which, but the screaming stopped. All that was left was his damnable cackle. It taunted me, stabbed at me as if he directed it at me.  
  
Mireya's face frightened me as I looked upon it. I guess from her vantage point she was able to see what he was doing. Her face seemed so full of disgust, and anger. The glow returned to her form. At least I wasn't hallucinating. Her teeth were exposed for a few moments before she yelled for him to stop. I'm surprised that her lungs had that type of capacity. Her voice filled the entire corridor, silencing everyone.  
  
He stopped, finally, and walked in front of my cell. He crouched down to look at me, and licked his lips. He turned and looked at Mireya. She seemed to make a noise with her throat, I think she was actually growling at him. He left after that.  
  
Low sobs filled our corridors after he left. A dread loomed around us all. It was as if he was saying that at anytime, anyone of us could be next. I...I'm frightened, but Tenchi will come though...I know it..  
  
Day 3 Entry -4  
  
What a horrible dream. I dreamt that I was alone and naked, covered in snakes. My hands and feet were bounded. I struggled with myself to move, even an inch, but I couldn't. I have never felt so helpless. Ever. They slithered all over my body, and felt cold on my skin. One flicked his tongue centimeters from my face while another wrapped itself around my neck, preventing me from screaming. I awoke as one began to enter my womb.  
  
It seems that all I am doing nowadays is crying.  
  
I wonder how everyone is doing back home. I hope Sasami isn't too worried about me. That girl has much too many worries as it is. Yes, I even wonder about that devil-woman too. She's probably skanking herself to Lord Tenchi right now as I write this. But I'm not concerned about that. Tenchi would never succumb to her seductions. And soon, soon he will come.....any day now.  
  
With nothing else to do here, I pass the time communicating with Mireya. However, we do not to speak directly to each other. We'd have to yell to hear one another, and that would attract the unwanted attention. Instead, we often use body motions or movements to convey what we want to say. I looked over to her today though, and she seemed to be in deep thought. She sat on the floor of her cell, with her legs crossed as well as her arms. She seemed so mysterious, but I didn't pry. I don't see how anyone can concentrate in this kind of place though. Her white hair was moist with sweat. Sweat? But it's so chilly in hear how could anyone... oh no, he's back....  
  
Day 6 entry....  
  
He...he made me watch. How could he...He took me...and...I tried to fight back but... my strength...it's all gone....he used some sort of magic and I... I couldn't move....why?...why did he make me watch?.....he came for myself and another woman...Mireya screamed and tried to get out of her cell....but she couldn't and.....he took us to another room...me and the other girl and.... and he.....I don't understand....I don't deserve this....that girl didn't deserve it....that girl....he enjoyed every bit...he reveled in our pain....our...our torment.. to think that such a being actually existed....My eyes will fall out if I do not stop crying....how he ravaged her body...he honestly didn't care that he was torturing us.....  
  
He was stopped before he started on me. A much larger figure stepped into the room. I guess he was wondering what all the screaming was about. He stood almost as tall as our tormentor. He was, for lack of a better term, mountainous. His arm alone was the twice, maybe three times the size of my entire body. At first I was deathly afraid that he might choose to join in, but he said something about "not toying with the prisoners." I was placed back into my cell, I'm not sure about that poor girl....  
  
Across from me, Mireya looked me over, to see if I had any bruises. Seemingly reading her mind, I shook my head "no." Her face bore a myriad of expressions from relief, to anger. She looked at me with those eyes that commanded respect, and helped me to bear this weight. I can't help but to think of that girl though.... I think they placed her back, but I can't be sure.  
  
I knew I would be next....  
  
Day 12...entry....who cares  
  
It's been a while since I've written in you, Mr. Journal. My prediction came true...he came for me...  
  
He overwhelmed me with spells....with a few chants he was able to incapacitate me for a small time. He led me to where we would be alone. I knew my life would end there and then, in fact I wished for it, as I do now. I scratched, clawed and summoned as much power as I possibly could, but to no avail. Maybe if I still had Azaka and Kamidake things would have turned out differently.....  
  
He was so overpowering....much stronger than Ryoko ever was....no matter what I did, he laughed it off. I knew that my nightmare was just beginning.  
  
Why am I writing this? Why am I reliving these memories? I don't know......Mireya broke out of here days ago. She promised me she'd return for me, but I know she's not coming back.... With her gone, I only have you Mr. Journal.  
  
I resisted until my body was almost filled with fire. Again....he laughed....it's that LAUGH...like a cancer in my brain it eats at my mind....and that feeling of helplessness, hopelessness....  
  
I was pinned down, and he ripped what was left of my clothes. My mind filled with so many thoughts, anger, fear, sadness, shock. Here I was, the crown princess of an entire empire, reduced to some gutter thrash's plaything. He held me down, and I thought my limbs would be crushed. So unremorseful were his eyes. I felt sick as his hand touched my breast. So cold. What I would have given to see him dead there and then. I screamed as loud as my lungs would carry my voice. There's no other way to describe it, he forced himself upon me. My body gave up from exhaustion. He...  
  
I'm sorry, I just had to vomit. But I feel better now.  
  
My dignity, my pride, everything has been ripped in two. If only I can crawl up and die now....  
  
Day...no matter  
  
I now know that Tenchi will not come for me. He is probably clinging on to that she-devil, and has already forgotten about this girl named Ayeka. That horrible man, Voog has taken me more than once. I feel less like a woman everyday, to the point of worthlessness. But I no longer care about that. If I would die today, then so be it. I have already tried taking my own life, but I neither have the means or the strength to carry it out. So, my fate is to live in misery. I exist each day as a shadow, not living but taking up space. This will be my last journal entry. I write this so that if someone may find it... please, if you ever see a white haired female athlete, with the face of an angel, please, tell her that Ayeka said she would have liked to have the chance to say "goodbye."  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
As the guard finished reading the diary that was inside the now vacant cell, he placed it down and once again examined the newly caved in wall that once held this prisoner. The area was filled with guards, all searching for the missing occupant that was taken when someone broke into the prison hall and rescued an inmate. The men with blue armor all carried low-level shotguns, while the heavier looking men in the red armor scanned the area.  
  
Another guard joined the one that was in the cell that once held Ayeka.  
  
"Did you find anything worth mentioning in the report?"  
  
"No, only this diary that she left behind." He said, tossing the journal to his comrade.  
  
"I still can't believe how she was taken by only one person."  
  
"Well, I'm surprised that this entire section isn't completely destroyed."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean that this was done by Mireya."  
  
"What?! Your saying Mireya did this? Well if she's responsible then that would explain all the damage but, how do you know?"  
  
"Read that booklet I just handed to you. Then you'll see what I mean." With that, he left the cell, and joined the other men in their search.  
  
The other guard opened the booklet, and began reading it.  
  
"The journal of Ayeka Jurai.....Day 1..."  
  
******************************************************************  
  
On one of the top floors of the main castle of the Khan empire, a very tall figure streaks his way through small gatherings of people. As soon as sight of him is made, all make way and clear his path, for they know of his power and more importantly, who he serves.  
  
General Voog has been summoned by his master. It is understood in this land that power rules all. Whoever holds the greatest amount of strength wields the biggest amount of power. The emperor was the unquestioned highest power in the land. Anyone who procrastinates after being summoned would be in the bad side of an emperor's temper. It is this reason why Voog makes great haste towards the royal chamber.  
  
A royal bodyguard member fails to see Voog's passing and thus slows him down by the slightest of seconds. He orders the surrounding officers to clean up the remains of the person who once stood in front of him.  
  
Now forced to make up for lost time by using his powers to increase his speed, he hardly has time to contemplate the happenings of his designated area, the prison hall.  
  
* So, my preety preety has escaped. That bitch Mireya, I should have killed her when we captured her. Well, then again, if I did, then I wouldn't have been able to enjoy the look on her face whenever her friend came back a little more 'mature', he he...heheheheh! * He thought to himself.  
  
He strode past hallways upon hallways until coming across the specific one that lead to his destination. This hallway was much different than the other's, as decorations of mythological beings and events were depicted everywhere. A huge painting of a griffon hung on the ceiling, giving the impression that the huge beast was diving to catch it's prey. A hydra attacked a doomed ship on the left side of the corridor, while a half man, half bull fought a titan on the right. Past them, a chimera was shown surrounded by gold jewels, and parallel to it, a phoenix flew into a star.  
  
With the use of his powers, he finds himself in front of the largest doorway in the castle, which was currently closed. The centerpiece of the theme was the most intricate of all. Placed directly on top of the two doors blocking the doorway was a large painting of a black dragon wrapping itself around a soaring white hawk. Though the painting itself was of a much better quality of the rest of the paintings, it was still hard to tell whether the two animals were fighting, or flying together as companions. At the bottom of the painting, in bold print, there was an inscription that read:  
  
"And the world shook,  
under the might  
of  
The Brothers"  
  
Voog had finally found his destination. The emperor's quarters.  
  
On the planet Draka, there was a strict chain of commands, which was determined solely by one's strength and effectiveness in battle. Low rank soldiers, though sometimes weak, were effective in groups. First rank soldiers were more than formidable fighters one on one, and their supreme teamwork conquered planet after planet. These armies were controlled by generals, which were all ruled by a single emperor. Currently, there reigned two generals.  
  
"There you are Voog. You should know that the emperor doesn't take kindly to those who do not answer quickly to his calling."  
  
One of these generals was the ruthless, and slightly psychotic Voog. His power was great and his skills as a warlock was welcomed in the empire. But even his abilities were dwarfed by the man who stood in front of him. Botaro, the walking apocalypse. His power was second only to the emperor himself. He reached Voogs neck at full height, and his size was accented by the sheer girth of his body. The largest and strongest general the empire has ever seen, usually ending bouts in mere seconds. His body bore almost no scars, because no one has ever injured him in the battle field. Indeed, every muscle was grotesquely huge, but not as huge as his protruding belly. Once, rumors spread that he had consumed members of a defeated battalion by himself to demonstrate his superiority. Though it would explain his massive stomach, no proof has been given.  
  
"And what would the emperor want with me?" said Voog.  
  
"It doesn't matter what he called you for. You know very well what happens to those who keep his majesty waiting. Or were you just playing with your toy today? Oh wait, I forgot, your incompetence has allowed her to be taken away."  
  
".....I was in the middle of briefing my squadron when Mireya broke into the prison hall. I didn't know any of this until I was informed today."  
  
"Mireya? That little thing. I remember squashing her along with....."  
  
"Yes yes yes, you've already explained that story hundreds of times. You and Mireya and Daimyo right? You were thoroughly thrashing the both of them. Oh yes, I've heard that you were about to achieve a flawless victory, until you had your ass handed to you by...."  
  
"Enough..." he said in a dangerous tone. "We've wasted enough time. The emperor awaits."  
  
Pushing the monstrous door with a creak, the two walked their way into an incredibly large throne room. The floor was made of a special type of rock that allowed a crystal clear shine that gave off one's reflection. The walls were outfitted with what was reminiscent of church windows, adding to the chapel motif it was seemingly going for. A lengthy red carpet rolled out in between huge pillars. Statues were also present, all in the shape and resemblance of the current emperor. They walked for a while, until finally coming up to the throne itself. Sitting in it, was the undisputed crown ruler of planet Draka.  
  
They stopped and bowed to one knee in front of their master.  
  
He wore a long thick black cape, symbolizing that he was like an inescapable thunder cloud. This was complimented by the black royal armor he wore. He sat with his leg crossed over the other, sipping a glass of the planets richest drinks. He was by no means young, having lived through ages of war, but his face could have been mistaken for a teenaged man. His hair came down to about his neck, kept in place by a golden crown. It was worn on his forehead, wrapping around his head. Though not as large as his generals, he was not small by any standpoint.  
  
The armor clad emperor rose from his throne and placed his hands behind his back. He paced back and forth, while his cape complied with his movements.  
  
"Botaro, report to me what happened in the prisoner's hall."  
  
"Yes sire. According to the men, a lone figure broke into the hall and managed to rescue one of the prisoners."  
  
"And who is the number one suspect at this point?"  
  
"We believe it to have been another inmate who recently escaped not too long ago, Mireya, sire."  
  
"Mireya? I thought that she was disposed of during the ascension."  
  
"Yes sire, though it seems that she has survived."  
  
"Hm. Mireya. She's always been a thorn in my side. Her and that idiot, Daimyo. Surviving one of your attacks alone is a testament to her willingness to live. So, not only does she escape from the prison hall, but she also manages to break in and take another inmate with her. Voog?" he said, turning to the wizard. "As I recall you are the one in charge of that sector. Why have you allowed this embarrassment to happen?"  
  
"Uh, well sire, I was briefing my men on how we are going to go about locating the recent gateway that has opened when this all occurred. I apologize for the embarrassment I may have caused."  
  
"I suppose nothing could be done about that. Who was it that Mireya rescued and what is her significance?"  
  
"She is a pretty, uh, I mean she is the one who came from the gateway, sire."  
  
"Oh really? You mean someone came through the gateway and you did not inform me?"  
  
"Uh well sire, I came to the conclusion that such meager details would only hinder your time?"  
  
"In the future, make sure to give me detailed reports. I would hate it if you were hiding something from me. That would be unwise."  
  
"Understood sire."  
  
"Well, have you pinpointed the location of this gateway?" He spoke in a regal tone, as if it would belittle himself to speak to these men.  
  
"Yes sire, I have"  
  
"Very good. What territory does it lead to?"  
  
"Uh, well sire...you see..." He visibly became nervous, as his speech stuttered a bit. "I'm not exactly sure where it leads to..."  
  
The emperor was now growing frustrated at his lackey's incompetence. An aura of green energy softly outlined his frame.  
  
"Well, no matter. All I truly need is the confirmation of death. Now when will it be that we can retrieve the body? And tell me, how loud did he scream before he finally died?"  
  
"That's another thing sire...you see..."  
  
*Now he's gonna get it * thought the huge man next to him.  
  
"There is no proof of....his death."  
  
The emperor's face grew from shock, to anger. The half empty glass exploded in his hand as he clenched his fists. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Voog, and lifted him up by his throat. Startling the two men.  
  
"You mean, he could still be alive!?" he asked, his tone increasing with ever word.  
  
"Y-yes...si-re." He managed to gurgle out of his throat.  
  
"Fools!" said the emperor, hurling Voog to the nearest wall, indenting it thoroughly. "He was born with the mark! He is the one who is prophesized to bring an end to my empire....and you...let-him-live!! Get out of my site! Both of you! And do not dare to show your faces to me until you find him and KILL HIM!!!"  
  
"Yes sire" said the two men, and exited in more haste than when they were when initially heading towards the room. While they walked away, the emperor, Trowa Khan, turned his back and clenched his fists together. Looking out through a window placed behind his throne, he gazed over his kingdom. He had conquered this land through cunning, strength, and cut throat tactics. He did not come to power by taking unnecessary risks. Threats had to be dealt with in a quick manner. He feared no mortal, but his empire was written to crumple at the hands of a single man. "Daimyo, child of the Dragon...damn you. I'll have your skull as a trophy! No, better yet, I'll use it as a cup so I may drink the richest wine from it!!"  
  
*******************************************************************  
  
Just outside his quarters, the two generals planned on how to locate and exterminate this anomaly. Their emperor was upset, and that could not possibly be good.  
  
"I don't see how he could get so upset about one person. This entire 'prophecy' is nothing but garbage. Really, how can one man defeat the empire by himself? It is impossible. Unthinkable." Said Voog, rubbing his throat. "And there is no conceivable way that Daimyo can get past you, let alone the both of us."  
  
"You underestimate his power. True, I had the upper hand during our last encounter, but....he showed something that could only be described as unreal. It was before your time, if you were there you would have seen exactly why it is that the emperor is so anxious to see him dead."  
  
"Well, I don't see how it's my responsibility to find him. After all, Daimyo is your brother, not mine."  
  
Unexpectedly, Botaro turned and swung his massive fist, which connected with Voog's stomach. He doubled over in pain. This blow would have surely killed any other man, but only managed to knock the wind out of him. In fact, he could barely manage to breath. Botaro looked down upon Voog's figure, laying on the floor and holding his stomach.  
  
"Don't you ever call him that. He is not my brother, do you understand me?"  
  
"Ugh....uh.."  
  
With thunderous steps, he walked away into the shadows. When Voog finally regained is bearings, he merely gave a low growl, stood, and silently promised to himself to turn Botaro's dinner into a stinking pile of soot.  
  
****************************************************************************  
  
Back inside the royal chamber, the emperor was left alone to contemplate his next move. Like the national pastime of chess on their planet, he had to think two steps ahead of his competition to ensure victory. He had worked to hard to see his kingdom be taken away by one mere man.  
  
After a while with his thoughts, he bent down to both knees, a movement that he didn't make very often. He closed his eyes, and prayed. It is well known of the history of conflict and war on the planet Draka. Warriors and soldiers came home to praise and greetings while cowards had were tried for treason against the empire. These people sought the guidance of a being of a higher plane, to bless them in battle. So far, their tract record has shown that this method has been very successful.  
  
"Great spirit, I beseech thee, hear my words, and show yourself."  
  
A short while passed, with no answer.  
  
"Please my lord, show yourself."  
  
Opening his eyes a second time, a great statue that overshadowed any of his own stood in front of him. The craftsmanship was exquisite. It was in the image of a large, armor clad knight. Carved on this statue was a full beard, to establish wisdom and knowledge, a great sword, for power, and many scars, for experience.  
  
"I need guidance great one. Daimyo's location has escaped me. I seek this knowledge so that I may execute him."  
  
A voice came from the large statue, very strong and manly, that commanded respect. "A bold request. It is not my place to give to the answers to questions that you may find yourself."  
  
"But great one, you stand above all. You are not bounded by the rules of the universe, and if not you then no one will give me the aid I seek. You are all knowing."  
  
"Using flattery to get your way I see. Very well, if it is the chosen one you seek, he is located on a parallel universe on a planet called Earth."  
  
"Parallel universe? But, how can I, a mere mortal, reach so far a destination? I have no idea where to look for this 'earth.'"  
  
"Use your wizard to open the gate at Gara square. On the other side there will be the destiny of your empire. But be forewarned, only two warriors may be allowed to pass through. I suggest you choose your best warriors."  
  
"My best warriors? It is true that Daimyo possesses great strength, but he is no match for even one of my generals. I don't see a need for...."  
  
"Trowa, listen well. He has been born with the mark. This fact alone should give you cause for concern. But there is another threat that you must take into account. He is now joined with the Hawk of legend."  
  
"What!?!" His eye twitched slightly in shock.  
  
*No...this cannot be...if the legend of the brothers are true.. and they are united...then I have no hope of keeping my empire.... *  
  
"However, they have not achieved their full potential. Send your very best men, and make certain that they destroy the Brothers before they have a chance to realize their true powers. I'm sure you remember what happened when Daimyo tapped into his raw abilities...."  
  
"Understood. Thank you great spirit, I do not deserve your presence."  
  
The statue slowly faded away into nothingness, leaving the emperor alone once again.  
  
Eavesdropping from the corner of a hidden passage, a white haired woman intently listened. These new turn of events where just the opportunity she needed to strike.  
  
"Daimyo is alive? And he is united with the Hawk? Our prayers have been answered. Gara Square....Checkmate."  
  
**************************************************************************** *  
  
"Once again, that was a magnificent performance my lady." Said the voice of D3. "He has no clue that he is playing right into your hands."  
  
Tokimi has just finished looking at a huge screen that showed the emperor of Draka, and smiled slightly. "The fool. It is too easy to influence these mortals. Why is it that men always assume that the beings they praise must also be male? He'll never realize that his god is not how he imagines. And soon, with my guidance, he'll accomplish all of our goals for us. Great spirit? What nonsense."  
  
"Tsunami, the day of reckoning is growing near, and I have all the confidence that my champion will defeat your weak earth boy. Soon, all of creation will know the name of Tokimi as the true higher goddess. Yes, it will all become clear to those mortals soon enough...."  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
"Uh, are you sure about this?"  
  
"Positive. I think we have practiced enough with your little bokkens. It's time we increased our level of training."  
  
"Yeah but I mean, this is the master key we're talking about. It's pretty powerful, and it can cause a lot of damage."  
  
"Which is exactly why we're going to spar with it. If I can't survive a match with a sparring partner, what makes me think I can win when the real battle begins?"  
  
"Sigh. All right, if you insist."  
  
Tenchi and Daimyo stood several yards away from each other. Today, just like everyday since Katsuhito left for America, Tenchi had to put his mind as well as his body through intense training regimens designed specifically by the newest member of the house. Although he'd hate to admit it, they were actually paying off, as his reflexes and overall skill level have shown drastic increases.  
  
From high above, Ryoko watched, just as she did every time these two went at it. She remembered that night, not too long ago, that Tenchi had called her by Ayeka's name. She thought about it long and hard, and came to the conclusion that it was an obvious mistake. But still, for him to be thinking so deeply of Ayeka that he would actually mistake herself for the princess, hurt Ryoko very deeply. She was upset, but that still didn't change the fact that she had to watch over him, just in case things got too rough between these boys. She also thought back to how one day, while Sasami was reading one of her comic books, the young princess had compared her to a dark angel. "Well, I guess you were right kid."  
  
Things have changed a little today as, at Daimyo's request, Tenchi has brought out one of his trump cards in the form of the Juraian master key. Otherwise known as the Tenchi-ken. As he looked over his opponent, Tenchi thought that he had to be insane to go through with this. Tenchi was also very confident of his own skills. Everyday he manages to get closer and closer to Daimyo's level, and he knew it would soon be in his grasp. Not that he ever cared about being strong, or tough, but he needed a way to put a stop to this man's constant bragging and stuck up demeanor. How humbling would it be if he was outdone by a grandson of a shinto priest in a small town?  
  
"So? What are you waiting for? Turn it on and attack me."  
  
"Right."  
  
Tenchi brought the master key hilt down and positioned it in a battle ready stance. He concentrated in placing energy into the sword. Slowly, he felt energy gather at the hilt, the two remaining gems that belonged to Ryoko slightly glowed. It had taken a while for him to find the right amount of concentration and energy needed to activate the master key, and in truth he hadn't actually used it in a while either, but he was slowly adjusting to it. He could feel the power begin to emanate and materialize into a blade. The hilt vibrated slightly and then....  
  
....then nothing.  
  
Nothing at all. No sword. No jurian power. Nothing. His face slightly turned red from embarrassment and he tried again.  
  
"C'mon you, don't do this to me now." He whispered to himself  
  
Frustration sunk in as he recklessly waved the hilt around and tried to "shake" the energy out manually.  
  
Ryoko slapped her hand across her face and shook her head. Tenchi was brave, powerful and sweet, but dashing? Never.  
  
"Is something....wrong?" Said Daimyo as a sweatdrop appeared on the back of his head.  
  
"No, no no problem, it just, ah takes a while to...ah...warm up." He said, still hoping that the energy would burst out. He tried waving around, shaking it loose and even banging it on a rock. But no reaction.  
  
"Enough of this." Said Daimyo in a low tone. He screamed at Tenchi with a battle cry and ran towards him.  
  
"RAHHH!"  
  
"C'mon c'mon get out you piece of junk!!"  
  
"AHH!"  
  
Within seconds Daimyo was in front of Tenchi, his teeth bared and his eyes promising pain. His right fist was reared back and was ready to deliver a knock out blow in the opening moments. Tenchi closed his eyes and hoped it wouldn't hurt too bad.  
  
Ryoko very nearly blew her cover and started to fly in Tenchi's direction to do her best to protect him, but then as if reacting instinctively, the Tenchi-ken suddenly became alive with pure energy. Daimyo's fist connected with the blade as Tenchi held it in a vertical position. "KyyyAAHHH!" Power coursed through his body and he felt pain that he hasn't felt in a long, long time.  
  
Jerking his hand away from the sword, he checked his fist for damage and saw that it had been slightly burned. He held his right wrist with his left hand and rotated it to see if it was still functional. Ryoko was relieved that this was a false alarm, and went back to her hiding place among the clouds.  
  
"Ok, I warned you that this could be dangerous. Now I think we should stop now before...." his sentence was cut off by an incoming fist aimed at his face. He ducked and felt the knuckles wisk past a few strands of hair on his head. He rolled out of the way to get some distance and ended up on one knee, but Daimyo decided to play the aggressive game today and followed up with a downward blow that was similar to that of a hammer coming down on a nail. Tenchi blocked again with his sword. Daimyo's clenched fist struck the master key again, but instead of having his hand burned to a crisp, he just used his other hand to bat away at the Tenchi-ken, leaving Tenchi open for a strike. This time Tenchi leaped out of the way and landed a few feet behind Daimyo. He didn't want to hurt him, but he had learned in his days of training with Daimyo that when a session was started, it didn't end until one could not go on.  
  
Hoping that Daimyo would come to his senses about fighting unarmed, Tenchi swung the blade at Daimyo's neck, planning on stopping just a few centimeters away, just to prove his point. When it came within a few inches of its target the blade was caught, barehanded, and held so that Tenchi couldn't move it. He struggled to get it free of Daimyo's grasp, but he had a firm grip. The Tenchi-ken spat out energy in every direction. It looked very similar to a thunderbolt being shot out, except horizontally. The intensity was so powerful that as the light illuminated the field around them, Tenchi became awestruck that they both weren't fried to a crisp. His amazement was further increased when he realized that as the energy this sword gave out was usually enough to send anyone to their knees, Daimyo was holding on, as if it only felt like a slight sting. With a wicked grin on his face, Daimyo lifted his leg up high, and unmercifully planted a kick on Tenchi's stomach, sending him flying across the field.  
  
He still held the energy blade in his hand, and while he was a master of bluffing, it was true that he was in a horrible amount of pain. But letting Tenchi know that was not in his plans.  
  
Ryoko clenched her fists and began charging up to blast Daimyo out of existence. Her yellow eyes burned and her fangs protruded slightly. She knew exactly the amount of pain that damn sword gave out whenever it was touched, but to see someone holding on to the blade itself was a little too much to comprehend. If this man was to be stopped, it had to be now. If she let someone that powerful run around unattended, everyone else could be at risk. Then, right before she was about to dive down, out of the corner of her eye, she saw something very interesting...  
  
He threw the sword at Tenchi, where it landed next to him. Half of Daimyo's body was numb from the pain he had experienced a few moments ago. He felt slightly light headed, but didn't show it at all. "If you're going to stare at me gawk-eyed whenever I'm about to counter attack you, then you have no chance at all. Get up and try again."  
  
Tenchi got up, faster than Daimyo thought he would, and casually picked up the Tenchi-ken. Dusting himself off, he calmly looked over at his opponent and spoke.  
  
"You know, Daimyo, I remember you hitting a lot harder than that a few days ago. What's the matter? Your not getting soft on me are you?"  
  
Daimyo's mouth was held open for a few seconds. That kick was enough to crumple a mountain, yet this earth boy had taken it full force, and was even mocking him. Finally, the days of intense training and preparation have paid off. A new surge of adrenaline was awakened in his body, and now maybe he would finally manage to find the challenge he so craved. Ryoko just watched, dumbfouded at Tenchi's new found cockiness.  
  
"Ha ha ha!! Yes Masaki, show me your true potential! Come at me with all your might!!" he said, clenching his fist.  
  
"All right, I was getting kinda bored with this warm up anyway."  
  
The two ran towards one another and exchanged hit after hit. Most of Daimyo's shots were dodged while most of Tenchi's were blocked. Once in a while, a little jab or sting would find it's way past their defenses. The pain in Daimyo's body was compromising his speed and endurance. Tenchi himself was getting a little tired, he was trying his best to keep up today. Daimyo's technique was excellent. His stance, his defense, his offence, all in harmony, chiseled to perfection. Tenchi neither cared nor backed away from this. He was tired of being this man's wiping boy. He was no slouch when it came to swordplay either. He did, after all, train daily with the greatest swordsman in the universe. However, he has never faced an opponent who could bat away an attack from the Tenchi-ken with his bare hands.  
  
*What is this?! * thought Ryoko, she could hardly believe what she was witnessing. Tenchi, the sweet, caring young boy she fell in love with was changing so much as the days went by. First he called her by another woman's name, and now he was talking and acting as if he was another person. *Have I lost him already? *  
  
Watching the events unfold, she saw the newfound ferocity in Tenchi's face, and wondered if this actually was the same boy who freed her from her prison. No, no longer a boy, but now turning into a man.  
  
"Your getting better Masaki! Keep this up and you might just make me get serious!" he said parrying a shot.  
  
"Yeah yeah, that's just like you, all talk!!"  
  
Ryoko watched them for a few more minutes. Tenchi was doing more than hold his own, as his attacks poked and slashed at Daimyo's defenses. It was then that she realized that the scene was reminding her of that battle, 700 years ago, with the Jurian warrior Yosho. Tenchi fought so much like him. Like he did not fear death, just failure. She knew she had no place here, and decided to go home and check Washu on the progress of her supergym. Maybe she didn't have to bodyguard Tenchi, but she would be dammed if she let their skills soar while hers were just stuck in one place.  
  
"No more games Masaki, now your history!"  
  
"Bring it on!!"  
  
Next: Chapter 6: Planted Seeds Bloom 


	6. Planted Seeds Bloom

Disclaimer -I do not own the series "Tenchi Muyo" or any of its characters. No profit is being made in this production.  
  
Shogun Muyo: Chapter 6- Planted Seeds Bloom  
  
Approximately two weeks have gone by since Ayeka was last seen by the Masaki household.  
  
Washu filled her days with double duty workload to look forward to. Finally finishing the last installments of Ryoko's inter-dimensional training hall, she gave herself a few moments to rest her mind before moving on to completing her other project. Turning on a small screen next to her lap, she double-checked the specifications to see that everything was in place.  
  
"Increased gravity, extremely variable weather, multiple terrains to explore, and a truckload of nasty monsters for her to push around in case she gets upset. Well, everything looks just as she wanted it too. Of course, it's taken a little longer than expected to complete, but you can't rush perfection."  
  
She moved her head from side to side and gave it a few cracks. After stretching her weary body, she looked over to one of her screens that contained footage from one of her strategically placed cameras. She placed them around the entire house, just in case she ever needed to conduct studies on behavior. Or just when she felt like eavesdropping a little bit. This particular screen was receiving feedback from inside her newly developed training room. Ryoko was dying to try it out as soon as it was done, and ended up using it even at only 90 percent completion a few days ago. She hasn't come out all week.  
  
Periodically, Washu liked to check up on her using these types of cameras. She would have used their mental link, but since this galactic super-gym was in another dimension completely, she thought their mental link to be slightly weakened.  
  
She looked into a small screen to her left and marveled at her daughter's progress.  
  
**********************************************************  
  
Ryoko flew through darkened skies. It had been a few days since initially stepping into this place, and she still needed to get used to it. With no need for food or sleep though, she would naturally improve on her own.  
  
She was alone, and preferred it that way. No sense having someone else here to slow her down. As she made her way through the skies, she smiled with pride at how far she has gone. The first time she stepped foot in this new dimension she could barely stand, thanks to the increased gravity, but now she soared like a hawk chasing its prey. She found an open field where, firmly placed at the center, stood a massive structure made of rock. She figured that now was a good a time as any to practice her moves.  
  
She came down next to the mountainous formation and laughed at how easily she nailed the landing. A few days ago, she could barely control the speed at which she plummeted back to the ground whenever she took flight. Now, she felt as light as a feather.  
  
"Well, I guess I should get started."  
  
She rotated her shoulder joints and stretched her legs a little. She brought her hands up the same way a boxer brings his hands up for a fight, and jabbed at the flat wall made of rock and stone.  
  
The first impact shook the huge landmark slightly, causing small pieces of granite to fall to the ground. With the increased gravity, they where almost a hundred times heavier than what they normally would weigh. Though they were small, the impact they made hitting the ground gave Ryoko a reason to double-check her footing. She knew the gravity was intense, but didn't think it would affect things to this degree. She brought her eyes back to shoulder level and gave another quick jab with her left hand. She indented the surface deep enough to send cracks that spiderwebbed throughout the exterior. It was then when she decided that it was sturdy enough to continue.  
  
Moving like a blur, she launched fist after fist into the body of the structure. Her movements were full of purpose and concentration, putting all effort into the task at hand. She became slightly winded after a few minutes, breathing a little heavier, and feeling fatigue slowly make it's way into her limbs. She would have took a short break, but saw the face of the one who might need her the most one day. How could she live with herself if she couldn't protect Tenchi?  
  
She remembered how Tenchi had to rescue her on board the Souja. After thinking he was killed by Kagato, she boldly rushed into his ship, promising revenge. She was looking forward to putting Kagato in his place, the years of oppression building up inside her, eating at her soul day in and day out. She knew Kagato was stronger than her, but nothing would stop her from getting her vengeance. The battle was fierce and, on several occasions, she thought she had actually won. Once Ayeka was transferred out of danger, she knew she could finally end Kagato's reign of terror for good.  
  
She never realized how wrong she could have been. Once again, Kagato firmly established his dominance over her. She was completely helpless once he guided all of the energy in her gem to the Souja. All she could do was watch as he battled Tenchi. And that was the worst feeling, being helpless, knowing that there was nothing she could have done to help Tenchi in the least. If it wasn't for the Light Hawk Wings... well, she didn't want to think of what would have happened if Kagato had defeated Tenchi.  
  
She vowed to never be helpless ever again. If that meant torturing yourself everyday in this artificial world, then so be it. She curled her fists into a ball of destruction, and proceeded to annihilate a third of the stone figure in front of her.  
  
Inside her lab, Washu examined the scene that was taking place on the small screen.  
  
"Relax yourself Ryoko. You're going to burn yourself out too quickly at that pace."  
  
She tried to contact Ryoko through their mind-link, but her earlier hypothesis was proven to be true, as her efforts seemed to be in vain.  
  
"AH YA YA YA YA YA YA YA YAAAA!!!"  
  
The sheer brute impact of her blows sent small shockwaves along the ground. Whenever her fist connected, it sounded much like the way thunder sounds right after a lighting bolt crashes down on Earth. Small shocks of energy danced all over her body, and she reared back with her right hand sent it elbow deep into the body of the cave.  
  
She pulled her arm out of the freshly made hole and picked up a small piece of rock that fell in front of her. A droplet of sweat ran down the side of her face as she did so. She held the fragment at arms length and then dropped it back onto the ground. It caved in the area where it landed and made a small crater. It's dimensions where an entire foot wide, as well as six feet in depth.  
  
"Damn gravity. Gotta make sure one of these don't land on me," she said, looking up to make certain there weren't any stray boulders heading her way.  
  
Then, an idea popped into her head. "I really shouldn't be purposely avoiding them. If a dumb piece of rock can take me out, then what good am I?"  
  
She grabbed another piece of rock, this one more than twice as large as the last one, and examined it closely. She barely held it in one hand, and it felt much heavier than the last. She looked into the sky and hurled the rock as hard as she could up into the air. It flew surprisingly high, but finally lost it's momentum after a few seconds. Judging by its coordinates, it was going to land square on top of her head.  
  
She engaged her energy saber and calculated the angle to attack. It was humming softly as energy flowed throughout her hand. She was staring directly at the rocks descent, and then flew off, still under its trajectory. With blazing speed, she flew past it and made a soft red blur that gave away the direction in which the blade had traveled. She looked down at the piece of rock just as it split cleanly in two halves. Both parts crashed down with enough force to make their own miniature craters.  
  
"Not bad Ryoko." She said to herself.  
  
She was impressed by her accuracy, but still, she was haunted by images of people who would laugh at her efforts. In particular, she couldn't shake Daimyo's image out of her mind. The very first day they met, she flung this very blade at his throat and he just caught it effortlessly with his bare hand. His BARE hand. Then it was that scene with Tenchi, where not only did he withstand the force of the master key itself, but he held it in his hand as well. She almost touched her own blade by accident one day while practicing her swordswoman skills, and almost had to get a new pair of fingers. It boggled her mind that this person had these abilities.  
  
*Washu...hey Washu! Can you hear me!?*  
  
She heard nothing but a low hum in her head. She tried again.  
  
*Washu I know you're there, answer me!*  
  
*Yeah Ryoko, I could hear you, but barely. Remember, you're in another dimension completely, so our communication through our mind link might not work all the time.*  
  
*What? What did you say? I couldn't hear you.*  
  
*Sigh. Nothing. What is it?*  
  
*I have to ask you something.*  
  
*What is it now?*  
  
*Well I was wondering about that guy, Daimyo.*  
  
*You seem to wonder about him a lot I see. What about him?*  
  
*How come my sword didn't work on him that day? I mean, I have to be careful waving it around myself, but he can even touch it without losing his arm. How is that possible?*  
  
*Well, there's a short answer and a long answer.*  
  
*Ugh, just give me the short answer.*  
  
*I figured as much. Anyway, here's the scoop. You see Ryoko, all energy sabers in general work simply by moving atoms away from each other, hence it's effectiveness in cutting or slashing maneuvers. The studies I have conducted on his hair samples, blood samples, as well as other... ahem... "special" samples have allowed me to catch glimpses of his real power. Based on the information contained in is DNA, it seems that our friends atoms cannot be moved by an outside source. They have to move all on their own. Meaning it can counter the effects of the blades. I'm thinking that it might have something to do with that blue gem on his forehead though. Get me?*  
  
*Ugh, run that by me again...*  
  
*Oh for the love of.... Listen, basically your energy blades wont work on him. Unless of course, it is an extremely powerful blade generated by an immense being. If it was strong enough, it could possibly override these defenses. But this energy source would have to be massive, almost on par with the light hawk sword itself. Projectiles, however, work not by separating atoms, but actually imploding them at the genetic level. So I guess trying to slice him to bits is out of the question, but high intensity blasts might do the trick. Get my drift?*  
  
*So what you're saying is, if it's a weak energy source, then it won't affect him? At all?*  
  
*Bingo... hey Ryoko, why would you want to know this type if information? I know you're not planning something stupid, right?*  
  
*No reason. I'm going back to work now.*  
  
*Wait Ryoko....Ryoko?...Ryoko!?....Dammmit."  
  
**************************************************************  
  
Sasami sat in the living room by herself. Everyone else seemed so preoccupied with other things that she felt a little lonely. Ryoko hasn't been around that much lately, Washu was still in the lab, Nobuyuki was still on his business trip and Tenchi was at the store shopping for groceries. She had already finished her daily chores, and with nothing else to do, she quickly grew bored.  
  
Ryo-Ohkie jumped on her lap, startling her a bit. She remembered how surprised she felt when her friend had recovered from her unknown ailment. She still felt a little bewildered to see Ryo-Ohkie jumping energetically around the house when only a few days ago she looked as if she was about to go into a coma.  
  
"What's your secret Ryo-Ohkie? First you were so sick and now, all of a sudden, you're ready to run a marathon. I wish I had some of that now, whatever you took."  
  
The little cabbit perked her ears up and, seemingly understanding Sasami's request, hopped off of her lap and made her way to one of the windows. She scratched at the surface and looked at Sasami, hoping she'd get the meaning behind her gesture. Curiosity took over the pig tailed, soon-to-be-goddess as she walked over to Ryo-Ohkie and peered over to where the cabbit had pointed to. She squinted her eyes to adjust to the sunlight, and saw Daimyo sitting under a large tree, calmly looking up at the sky.  
  
Now that she thought about it, it had been the most tranquil she had ever seen him. The only time he wasn't working out, or sparring with Tenchi, was when he sat down to have some of her cooking, or when he was bathing in the nearby lake. Once he had a taste of her cooking he was instantly hooked, but was currently allowed only a maximum of three plates at dinnertime.  
  
He seemed so distant most of the time. She often tried to talk to him or convince him to open up to the rest of the house, but she always got the same "not now I'm training" excuse. Her curiosity got the better of her one morning, and she accidentally walked towards the same lake he was bathing in. He didn't see her, but that still couldn't help stop a small trickle of blood that ran down her nose. She checked herself, to see if her nose was bleeding, even as she thought of that day now.  
  
She opened the door and walked down the path that led to the tree he was under. It was very warm, and sunny, so she had to keep squinting to keep the sun out of her eye. She made it to where he was, and sat next to him. She didn't have anything she wanted to say in particular, but somehow felt it was right to be here at the moment.  
  
"It's a beautiful day right?"  
  
"Marvelous. I'm really not used to this type of environment. So warm."  
  
She decided not to search for the deeper message in his words. "Yeah, I guess it's ok, but you should see the summer's on Jurai. Now those are special."  
  
"What is a Jurai?" he said, looking at her quizzically.  
  
"Oh that's right nobody told you yet. Jurai is my home."  
  
"Really? Is it far from here?"  
  
"Well, it's another planet, but it's not that far. All of us are from other planets."  
  
"Huh? All of you? Even that boy, Masaki?"  
  
"You mean Tenchi? No he's from Earth, but he's a prince on my planet."  
  
"....That doesn't seem to make any sense."  
  
"Well, it's a long story." She said, chuckling.  
  
"Actually, come to think of it, I don't really know that much about any of you."  
  
"Of course you don't. What do you expect when all you do is stay out here by yourself all day? If you would come in and talk to us, then maybe we could learn from each other. And who knows, maybe we can all become friends."  
  
" Hm, impressive thought process for someone so young."  
  
"Hey I'm not that young I'm already over 700 years old, so there." She said, sticking her tongue out at him.  
  
"Well that makes you about three hundred years younger than me."  
  
"Huh? Really? You don't like a thousand to me..."  
  
She stood up and outstretched her hand in front of him. She decided to go for broke now.  
  
"You've been here too long for us to not know anything about each other. Why don't we go inside, right now I mean, and fill in each other's blanks. You have a lot to learn about our family, and I, I mean we, still need to get to know you better. Who knows, maybe you and the others can be as good as friends as I know you can be. What do you say?"  
  
He hesitated briefly before answering, but finally stood and dusted himself off. "Well, I guess it couldn't hurt. Why not? Lead the way Sasami."  
  
With a glimmer in her eye and a bounce in her step, she led him inside the house and towards he living room.  
  
Turning her attention to another one of her screens, Washu took a small break to check up on what was going on at the house. She was in charge of the house, since Tenchi had gone to the store earlier, and decided a quick check up never hurt anything.  
  
*Ok, everything's fine, now if I can just figure out....hey wait a sec...*  
  
"Is that...Daimyo sitting in our living room? Well that's strange. He usually prefers to keep to himself outside. And Sasami? What is she...oh now I get it. Heh heh. Well, good luck kid.  
  
************************************************************  
  
Inside of the kitchen, Sasami prepared small servings white rice with vegetables. Not much of a meal, but she wanted to make sure he had room for dinner. She brought the two plates down on the table on opposite ends.  
  
"So Mr...um, I mean, Daimyo, is there anything you want to ask?"  
  
He scratched his head. "Well, there's so many things that I find unusual around here, I don't know which question to ask first."  
  
"Hm...I can see how all of us might seem a bit strange to you, so I guess there's no other way but to start from the beginning."  
  
"All right. Then maybe I can figure out why so many people live in one house."  
  
"It's a long story, so you have to pay attention...."  
  
Minutes turned into hours as Sasami explained how five alien women came to know a young boy from a Shinto shrine and ended up living with him. She explained how Ryoko, seven hundred years prior, attacked Jurai under the control of a madman, she explained how her sister endlessly searched for her brother Yosho, she explained how a misunderstood galaxy police woman crashed one day in their lives, and how they met the greatest mind in the universe.  
  
He listened intently, and she often had to re-explain things so he could understand it thoroughly. It surprised her how naive he could get sometimes. Finally, her tale concluded.  
  
"....and so that's how we got to stay here on Earth, thanks to Tenchi defeating Seiryu."  
  
"I see. So let me get this straight... that golden eyed woman was controlled by Kagato, and unwillingly attacked your home, where you and your sister are royalty?"  
  
"Preety much."  
  
"And she fights with the cyan haired one constantly for the affection of this boy, Tenchi?"  
  
"You got it."  
  
"Well then, why doesn't he just choose one and get it over with? Wait...he isn't homosexual, is he?" -------------------- Washu burst into laughter in her lab and almost fell onto the floor. "Ha! Now that's a new one!" -------------------- "Oh no, no of course not." Said Sasami, almost choking on the glass of water she was drinking.  
  
"It's just that he loves them both equally, and he knows that if he picks one, then he's going to hurt the other's feelings tremendously. I mean, it's scary how much my sister and Ryoko care about him. You have no idea."  
  
"I see. Well then at the very least, why doesn't he prevent them from fighting?"  
  
"Well, Tenchi doesn't really like getting in the middle of their arguments. And besides, it's not like he can stop them once they go at it."  
  
"But, Sasami, I thought that you said that with the divine power he received, he was easily able to defeat Kagato? Surely, he can control these two."  
  
"Oh yeah that's another thing." She said, tossing a carrot to Ryo-Ohkie. "You see, when that happened, it was more like an accident than anything else. Maybe accident is the wrong word...instincts...yeah that's the word I'm looking for. His instincts took over and that's how he was able to get the divine power. We call it the Light Hawk Wings though."  
  
Daimyo rose off from his chair with enough force to make Sasami jump a bit. "Did you say that...that boy, is able to call the power of the Wings Of the Light Hawk?"  
  
"Um, yeah. How do you know about them?"  
  
*Is that what I have been feeling from him all this time....could he really be...the hawk of legend?? The first day of his training...he seemed so inexperienced. But the fire I saw in his eyes that day, it was very powerful. All these days that have gone by, I knew I felt a beast within him...but the hawk?? It can't be...*  
  
"Is something wrong Daimyo?"  
  
"What? Oh n-no. I'm sorry..." He sat back down and rested his head on his chin.  
  
Moments passed in silence, and Sasami wondered how to continue the conversation. Something she said obviously upset him, and she didn't want to risk him walking out when he had just started the process of opening up to her.  
  
"So what about you Daimyo? You've hardly said anything about yourself, and it must be boring just hearing about us."  
  
"No, it's not boring. I can see why it's so noisy in here most of the time now at least. But you really want to know that badly about me?"  
  
"I think it's only fair after everything I just told you."  
  
"True. All right Sasami, get comfortable. I guess I can tell you a little of my life."  
  
*Finally!* she thought.  
  
-------------------------- Washu was about to turn off her monitor, but decided to listen in. Maybe some useful piece of information would slip into her lap today. So, laying back on her chair, she placed her hands behind her head for support. ---------------------------  
  
"But I think its only fair that I warn you know Sasami, you might not like everything you hear. Ok?"  
  
"Yeah, sure." She motioned for Ryo-Ohkie to enjoy her carrot somewhere else.  
  
"All right. Here goes nothing..."  
  
"...To understand the way I was raised, you have to understand my people's culture. My planet Draka, was originally populated by an entirely different race. My people came from a neighboring planet to the east. The planet we were on was quickly losing its natural resources, and in time we would surely die. In desperate need of a new home, we ventured into Draka and offered to live among the inhabitants in peace in exchange for land. They accepted, and my people thought that a new age would flourish.  
  
It was later when the true intentions of the Drakan's were discovered. The reason they so willingly accepted our offer was because they believed that they could dominate us, and force us into slavery. My people were outraged at the double-cross, and war was declared. It took 3 long years, but finally, my people were the victors.  
  
Our social system was based on agriculture and democracy before the war, but afterwards, we moved towards a more militaristic government. Eventually, this gave way to a monarchy on Draka. Something never before practiced by our people.  
  
There was heated debate on who should become king. Of course, only the strongest had the right to rule. And there lied the problem. Two factions, both believing their leader was the strongest, violently vied for leadership of the entire planet. This period is known in my history as the Great War....is this history lesson boring you?"  
  
"Oh no of course not. I was always good in my history classes on Jurai anyway."  
  
"I promise it's going to get more interesting. I was born during the Great War, almost a thousand years ago. The leaders of these two opposing forces were a would-be dictator called Trowa Khan, and a man named Kazaar. I am the son of the victor of this war, Kazaar."  
  
"Wait, your father's...a king? So that means..."  
  
"Yes, I am the crown prince of the planet Draka."  
  
--------------------------- "Woah now that's an interesting piece of news. I wonder what else he's been hiding from us." Said Washu. ---------------------------  
  
"But you see Sasami, as the son of the king, great expectations were placed on my shoulders. Even before I was born, I was expected to follow in my father's footsteps and lead the planet to greatness. We had become such a ruthless nation... we conquered other planets to expand the empire. I was supposed to do the same. He would be so proud of my abilities, until I was actually born that is."  
  
"What? What do you mean?"  
  
"Very simple really. It is because of this blasted mark." His blue jewel came alive in a low glow.  
  
"But I thought all Drakan's had those?"  
  
"No. There is a legend, well more like a curse, on my planet. It states that whomever is born with the mark of power shall bring forth the destruction of the empire. It was made into law that whoever was born with the mark would be executed. Unfortunately, many newborns have falsely paid the price for this law..."  
  
"That's... horrible."  
  
"I was sparred only because I was the son of the king. Of course, my people were outraged at his hypocrisy. But the king's words were absolute. So, my people took out their frustrations on me. Growing up, I was discriminated and detested. It seemed my very existence upset them. I can't honestly blame them though...my father had made many mistakes while in power. Being his only son, I grew up alone. My mother supported whatever I did, and I thank her for that. She was really the only person to freely show affection towards me. Well, her and... well anyway. I didn't have time to think of how lonely I was. My thoughts were always on the battle, the victory. My skills gave me enough comfort to make it through each day. And I was good at it. Unbeaten even. Until...hey you know what Sasami? It's getting late and..."  
  
"Oh no you're not. You always do that whenever you're about to open up. You always make up some excuse to leave. But today you're staying and that's that. Otherwise you'll be having burnt squid for dinner again."  
  
"No! All right, all right."  
  
He sighed and took a deep breath before continuing. "A man named Botaro returned to us. He went missing during the Great War and my parents were looking forward in having him as an addition to our armies. His size and strength was magnificent, even compared to the king himself. He was, like me, unbeaten in combat. My mother went to great lengths to ensure that both of her sons were working for the empire."  
  
"This is really confusing, I thought you said you didn't have nay brothers or sisters?"  
  
"He is my half brother, my mothers son. More unbelievable is the identity of his father, which is none other than the very same man whom my father fought during the Great War, Trowa Khan."  
  
---------------------  
  
"Now that's what I call scandalous. Interesting story Daimyo, I can see now why you're so withdrawn most of the time." Said Washu.  
  
--------------------  
  
"My mother was originally from our rival empire, but soon fell in love with my father. She left Trowa before his defeat. Botaro was young at that time, and couldn't understand why his mother had left him and his father. He fought viciously to save his fathers side of the war, but as I said, my fathers troops eventually won. I never knew him growing up, I mean, I knew I had an older brother out there somewhere, but I didn't even know what he looked like..."  
  
"...but it was no heartwarming family reunion. Eventually, it was discovered that he was a spy sent by Trowa, who was still alive. He fed him information about the kingdom, and soon enough, we were wiped out from the inside out. That bastard...how could I have been so blind? My father was killed, and my mother, stricken with grief, took her own life..."  
  
He broke into low sobs and buried his face in his hands. Sasami didn't know how to react at first. In a way he had reminded her of Ryoko, someone who always seemed so strong, but inside was just as fragile as the rest of us. She walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him. He brought his face back up and gave a small smile.  
  
"Sorry about that. I guess I got carried away."  
  
"It's all right."  
  
She looked at his face, and then into her heart. She was looking for something, but couldn't figure out what it was. Her sister had told her many times to wait until she was old enough to find a boyfriend, an obvious joke, as their father would never allow "boyfriends."  
  
But still, what age was considered, "old enough?" She admitted to herself that she didn't know what love was yet, but she could feel her heart grow towards this one person. Was it love? Was this how love felt? She always thought that what Ayeka and Ryoko went through for Tenchi was love. The heartache, the sorrow, the fighting, this is what she thought it meant to love someone. To constantly think of that one being, to revolve your life around his decisions, that was how she viewed love. But was this truly the measuring bar to what love was defined?  
  
Who is in charge of deciding when it is appropriate for the heart to love? She couldn't clearly define her feelings yet, but knew she wanted to be near this person, and it pained her to see him so saddened. So what defined "old enough?"  
  
One day, she found a small red spot on her sheets, and Washu had to explain to her a females life cycle. Meaning, while it was rare for someone her age, she was already capable of bearing children. So what else was there? Mentally, she displayed the maturity of someone twice her age. Mihoshi was often the one who acted like a child, but did that make her less of a woman?  
  
She stood next to him while he sat in deep thought. Standing so close to him, she suddenly became very nervous and her knees clicked together. It surprised her how he didn't notice, with all the noises they made.  
  
She thought back to the last time Ryoko and Ayeka fought that day. She pleaded and begged for them to stop, but was ignored. She remembered how she went to Tenchi that same day looking for help for her friend Ryo- Ohkie, but was just sent away. Even the object of her affections had ignored her, leaving her to wait by herself that night.  
  
And then, as if hit by a lightning bolt, it all came together. She wasn't considered "old enough" because she could be ignored easily. The one who's actions could be taken with a grain of salt. She had to do something drastic.  
  
And she would be ignored no longer.  
  
Grabbing both of his ears, she turned his head and planted an awkward, yet powerful kiss on his lips. She didn't have much practice, in fact it would come to her later that this was indeed her first, but she enjoyed it nonetheless.  
  
--------------------------------  
  
"Woah!! Way to go Sasami! Show him who's boss!!"  
  
"Now the adult instinct inside is telling me to stop this, buuuut I guess I'll give her a few more moments. She's brave, but I know she's not stupid. Besides, it might be best to let her get it out of her system."  
  
--------------------------------  
  
Daimyo's eyes bulged out of his head as his brain tried to process what was going on. This seemingly innocent child was actually forcing herself upon him!  
  
"Sasami! What has gotten into you?!" he said, pulling himself from her embrace.  
  
"I, I'm sorry...I just.." she did the only thing her instincts told her to and ran to her room.  
  
Daimyo sat alone for a few minutes after that, and decided it was best to leave.  
  
"That was too strange." -------------------------------  
  
*Score one point for the Jurai royal court, Sasami, you scored. Huh what's this? Inter-dimensional travelers closing in on sector 4400.59...huh? This can't be right... can it?*  
  
*Ryoko... Ryoko...Ryoko!!*  
  
*I'm here Wash... I mean mom. What's up?*  
  
*I think you might want to know something interesting I just picked up..."  
  
*Oh, so you felt it too?*  
  
*You were able to feel it from inside there? Your training must really be paying off. But actually, I picked it up on one of my sensors. So do you think it's true?*  
  
*Yup. Definitely. There's nobody else with that type of aura around them.*  
  
*All right then. I'll go and make the necessary preparations. Should I inform you of her arrival?*  
  
*....No, you won't have to. I know when she's near. And don't worry, I'll be sure to make her feel at home again.*  
  
*I guess I'll go tell Sasami.*  
  
*No, wait! Consider it a surprise. No sense getting her hopes up if we're wrong.*  
  
*Right. Ok then, just be sure not to push yourself too hard in there ok?*  
  
*I'll be fine.*  
  
Ryoko finished her conversation with Washu, and made her way into the outer space section of her dimension. A cluster of asteroids threatened to test her mettle, and she happily obliged.  
  
*********************************************  
  
Tenchi returned later that day to a quiet house. He found it strange that no one was around, but shrugged it off. *Unpredictable as ever.* He set four bags of groceries down in the kitchen and then helped himself to a glass of water.  
  
Lately, the house did seem to be getting more and more lonesome. He didn't know when grandfather was returning from his trip, and father was still on his business trip. At least he was scheduled to come back today. Ryoko wasn't hanging around as much either.  
  
He made his way into the living room and got comfortable on one of the sofas. Or rather, he stood in front of one and plopped himself down onto it. He grabbed the remote and turned the television to his favorite music channel. He has apparently grown a liking to international music, particularly the western style. Of course, he couldn't understand what they were saying, but the bands he listened to made beats that he could easily bop his head to. Currently, the channel was playing some sort of pop song, and he decided to change the channel.  
  
He came across a news station. He figured that he needed to catch up on current events anyway, and left it there.  
  
"This is Kunishira Omari of the evening news reporting live at downtown Okayama where an attempted robbery has ended, severely injuring of one of the thieves. Sources say that there is a hero that has to be thanked for botching the robbery. This eyewitness has agreed to speak with channel 129 concerning the incident."  
  
"Um, hello."  
  
"Hello sir, what is your name?"  
  
"Uh Shingo Yamata."  
  
"Mr. Yamata, can you confirm the police reports that say that a 'young boy' is responsible for ending this threat?"  
  
"Yes I can."  
  
"So tell us sir, what exactly happened in there?"  
  
"Well, I was at the counter getting ready to pay for my groceries, when all of a sudden these two guys pull out handguns and tell all of us to get on the floor. They were passing a bag and told us to put our wallets in it."  
  
"And can you tell us about this mystery man?"  
  
"Well, it all happened so fast. I was on the floor, like they told us, when the entrance door slid open. Somebody came in, and they told him to join us."  
  
"Can you describe him for us?"  
  
"Well, I didn't get that good of an image, but I could tell he was a young fellow. He didn't seem to have any unusual features, except for a small ponytail that made him seem kinda girlish."  
  
Tenchi covered his face with his hand. "Oh boy."  
  
"Sooner or later, he exchanged some words with the thieves. I couldn't hear what he said, but it must have been something really crazy cause the robber got real mad. But that's when the really strange part happens..."  
  
Tenchi turned off the television. He wasn't in the mood to be reminded of what he had to go through for 4000 yens worth of food.  
  
"And I didn't say anything crazy I just told him I had to go to the bathroom!" He said to the television.  
  
"What a day."  
  
He really started to wonder where everyone was. He went upstairs and headed for the bath. He passed Sasami's room and thought she said something, but he ignored it. Grabbing a towel and a change of clothes, he filled the tub with hot water. He stayed in longer than he had planned. The warmth of the water was too relaxing to his muscles to step out. His mind drifted back and forth between consciousness and sleep.  
  
He placed a hand over his chest and examined the area where a bullet should have penetrated his body. Who would have thought that today, walking in through the same entrance that he always did, he would be walking into an attempted robbery. He felt afraid, but took comfort that he didn't panic. Images of the family he took for granted flashed through his mind. If he wasn't blessed by the power of Jurai, the shield that came up just before the gun was fired would not have saved his life. The shot would not have ricocheted off of his frame and back into the thief. Then he would have never gotten the opportunity to tell his guests how much they meant to him.  
  
For once he considered himself lucky. Not only for getting a second chance at life, but also for having a caring family to share it with.  
  
"That's it. There's going to be some changes starting today."  
  
***********************************************  
  
*What were you thinking? You don't act this way. You knew it was wrong, but you did it anyway. Now he probably hates you...*  
  
Knock knock knock.  
  
*That's probably Tenchi. Wipe your face, you can't let anyone see you like this.*  
  
Knock knock knock knock.  
  
"Just a minute."  
  
She jumped when she saw Daimyo looking down at her after opening the door. She closed it on his face with a thud. She gathered herself and slowly opened again.  
  
"Sorry about that."  
  
"Don't worry, I think I've had people do worse things to me than slam a door in my face."  
  
"You know what I mean."  
  
"Oh. Can I come in?"  
  
"Uh, sure I guess."  
  
He walked in and looked for a place to sit. He didn't particularly care to sit on her carrot-couch, so he became as comfortable as he could on the floor. Sasami was too embarrassed to speak. She just sat with her hands folded on her lap, with her head down.  
  
"Listen Sasami, in case you're wondering, yes, I am upset."  
  
She still was quiet.  
  
"But only a little. I know you probably have a lot of things going through your head right now, I mean with your sister and all that, but I just wanted to let you know that I understand."  
  
"R-really?"  
  
"Yeah. I know I can be a *blockhead* most of the time, but I'm not made of ice. You're just a little confused about your feelings, that's all. Truth is, my experiences with you have been my most unique in a long time."  
  
She smiled a little. "Thanks Daimyo. But I still feel really stupid."  
  
"Well you should, but don't worry about it too much. Besides, I know I'm irresistible." He said, striking a pose.  
  
"Yeah yeah keep talking like that and you won't have dinner for a week."  
  
His face turned a light shade of blue. "A whole week? You could really be cruel at times."  
  
"And don't you forget it." She said, waving her finger at him.  
  
They both laughed a bit. Daimyo readjusted himself on the floor.  
  
"Seriously though, you're a very pretty girl, princess, but there's no way, NO way, that I can think about you the way you want me to. Maybe one day, but not now."  
  
She stood quiet for a little while, and pressed her index fingers together. "So, are you saying that...I still have a...chance?"  
  
"Urr, uh listen, let's not think so far ahead." He said, scratching the back of his head. "Instead, let's just go back downstairs and enjoy what's happening today. If we hurry, I think we can still catch a few moments of the sun setting."  
  
"I think that's a great idea."  
  
**********************************************  
  
A few moments later they sat on the outside porch, looking at the sunset. The sky was covered in a light red blanket, with yellow highlights surrounding an orange sun. The stared into the horizon and momentarily forgot about all their worries.  
  
She looked up at his face, a face chiseled by focus and hard work, and felt as comfortable in his presence as she did with any other member of the house.  
  
"Daimyo?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Will you wait for me? Until I'm older I mean..."  
  
"Sasami...the last thing I want to do is dash your dreams but...as long as my people live under the hand of a tyrant, I can't live in peace. I have to go back soon, but once my war is over, I promise to return. So the real question is whether or not you will wait... for me."  
  
"Of course I will." She said, resting her head on his shoulder.  
  
Washu crossed her arms at the doorway and looked at the two, who were oblivious to her presence. "Sasami?"  
  
"Huh! What...oh Washu it's you. Heh-heh."  
  
"I have a present for you kid."  
  
"Present? But it's not my birthday or anything..."  
  
"I know, but it's already in the mail and should be getting here in about..."  
  
An intense blue light sharply contrasted the orange sky. The source was somewhere near the forest area of the shrine, and Sasami could tell it was close by.  
  
"...now."  
  
"What? What was that?"  
  
"Why don't you go check it out yourself?" She said with a wink.  
  
Sasami stood and looked for assurance from Daimyo, who nodded his head. She ran towards the direction of the light. Daimyo was about to join her, but Washu held him back.  
  
"Hold it big boy."  
  
"But, don't you think it's a little dangerous if she went alone?"  
  
"Nah, she's alright. Believe me, she'll appreciate the time we give her."  
  
"All right."  
  
Ryoko appeared in front of the doorway, clad in her form fitting battle suit. She crossed her arms and acknowledged Daimyo's presence.  
  
"You seem well Ryoko." Said Daimyo.  
  
"I'm cool. Hey Washu, is she here yet?"  
  
"Just got here a second ago. Do me a favor and get Tenchi, he'll want to see this too."  
  
"Oh yeah...right." She faded away.  
  
"Excuse me, but you seemed to have lost me. Who are you talking about?"  
  
"Like I said, Sasami will appreciate the time we give her to herself."  
  
**********************************************************  
  
Sasami ran as fast as her legs could take her. She navigated her way past bothersome tree branches and bushes, a feeling in the pit of her stomach drew her to the source of the blue light. She finally made her way to the where it happened. She saw someone dusting herself. She had elegant purple hair tied up in two ponytails.  
  
"A-Ayeka?" She said with tears in her eyes. A lump in her throat prevented her from saying anything else.  
  
The figure turned and faced her.  
  
"Hello Sasami, I hope I haven't worried you too badly." Said Ayeka, extending her arms.  
  
Sasami nearly tripped at the speed that she ran towards her sister. Embracing her with enough force to almost knock both of them down, she held her in an embrace that they both thought they wouldn't experience again.  
  
Sasami dug her fingers on her sister's clothes, worried that if she let go, then this moment would never come again. Tears ran uncontrolled down her cheek, and onto the ground. She felt the top of her head suddenly become wet, and she looked up to see that Ayeka was shedding tears just as fast as she was.  
  
"I'm home now Sasami...everything is all right now."  
  
The sun behind them set on another eventful day. Their shadows lay together on the floor, united by a bond that transcended their blood relation. Sasami held tighter, never wanting this moment to end.  
  
Next Chapter: Enter the GP Elite 


	7. Enter the GP Elite

Disclaimer -I do not own the series "Tenchi Muyo" or any of its characters. They belong to AIC and are distributed by Pioneer. No profit is being made in this production.  
  
Shogun Muyo: Chapter 7- Enter The GP Elite  
  
Space is sometimes considered to be the ocean of the stars. Grand and deep, with endless discoveries to be found. To stare into its vastness and depth is to risk being overwhelmed by its marvels and mysteries. Some even believe that unraveling this enigma of planets and stars might somehow help us become closer to finding the meaning of our own existence. And we are, after all, allowed to dream...  
  
A small ship guides its way through the solar system. Its design, a signature model of the galaxy police, blending a balance of speed and durability.  
  
Sitting at the pilot's controls was the person assigned to ensure that all dreamers of this section of the galaxy have a safe place to roam.  
  
The serene of space sang its lullaby to her, and she now rests in her chair, a small bit of drool escaping her mouth. The soft curves of her chest rising and falling rhythmically with her breathing, as her head slightly slumps over to the side.  
  
"Mihoshi? Mihoshi, wake up."  
  
The voice threatened her eyelids to flutter momentarily before she stirred in her sleep. The small piece of machinery where the voice originated from increased its tone, disturbing her catnap.  
  
"Mihoshi? New orders are just coming in."  
  
"Huh, wha...oh, you were saying something Ukonojo?" she said, stretching her arms over her head and yawning.  
  
"Headquarters is requesting a status report on the Sol system immediately."  
  
She took a minute to rub the sleep out of her eyes before answering. "What's the hurry? Nothing exiting ever goes on around here. Well, besides that one incident where Kagato returned with Souja and kidnapped Ryoko a little while back. I wonder how she's doing now anyway. Oh yeah, and let's not forget the apprehension of that Dr.Clay. Now he was a strange one I tell you with his octopus head. It was so funny when Washu told me she called him that. Oh and that one time when..."  
  
"Mihoshi."  
  
"Oh, sorry. Yes?"  
  
"A second anomaly has appeared over your sector."  
  
"An anomaly? What is the criminal's security level and where do we find him?"  
  
"You misunderstand, Mihoshi. It is not a criminal you are after this time. You are being assigned to investigate the effect of the anomalies on the planet where they have occurred."  
  
"What exactly are these anomalies that you keep talking about?"  
  
"You mean, you weren't briefed?"  
  
"Well no, not exactly."  
  
"Then would you like a summarized report now?"  
  
"Ah, ok." She said while using her pink cube to create a cup of coffee.  
  
"The first distortion occurred a several weeks ago. No investigation was deemed necessary at the time because it was assumed that it was one of the class A prisoners attempting t escape subspace. However, many of headquarters advanced wavelength researchers have picked up a second distortional field in your sector of the galaxy, this one occurring only a few moments ago. All of class A criminals are accounted for, meaning that it is something else causing these shifts."  
  
"Well, duh."  
  
"In any case, headquarters is requesting an immediate investigation. Report back as soon as you find out anything."  
  
She stood and saluted with her right hand after finishing her coffee. "Right, detective first class Mihoshi is on her way."  
  
"Just one thing Mihoshi, you are not required to confront anyone which may have come in through this anomaly, but in case you find anything that can be considered as a possible threat to the residents of the planet, you are to stop your assignment and call for backup. Understood?"  
  
"You mean someone, or something, could have just walked in from another galaxy? Like, something big, and mean?"  
  
"Possibly."  
  
"Oh. Well j-just. Just leave it to me."  
  
Almost mechanically, she began to punch a set of numbers into a small device that was positioned on the right side of the pilots seat. It made up of dozens of fingernail-sized buttons and made a short beeping noise once she was done.  
  
"I'm inputting the coordinates now... err, um..."  
  
"Yes, Mihoshi?"  
  
"Well ah, it just occurred to me that you haven't told me which planet those things happened."  
  
"Both distortions were determined to occur on a remote sector of planet Earth. Near the same area where you reported that the two Jurian princesses currently reside."  
  
"Earth? Did you say, Earth?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I'm going back to Earth?"  
  
"Affirmative."  
  
Her eyes widened and she leapt out of her chair. Bouncing around her ship, she dropped the small cap that belonged to her uniform on the floor. She sang a song to herself all the while.  
  
"Woohoo! I'm going back to Ea-rth, I'm going back to Ea-rth..."  
  
"Uh, is there a problem, Mihoshi?"  
  
"What? Of course not! I'm going back home Ukonojo! I'm going to see everyone again!"  
  
The ship reared its course back a few degrees, and headed towards the third planet from the sun.  
  
******************************************************  
  
Ayeka and Sasami held each other tightly as the last remains of the sun disappeared from view. The sky was a deep blue, and the breeze made their hair wave softly in the wind, a soft mirage of blue and purple.  
  
Ayeka gently pulled away from her sister, and wiped away some of her tears.  
  
"I see that you are healthier than when I left."  
  
"I missed you so much." Said Sasami, tears still forming.  
  
"There, there, now. We are both safe."  
  
There was a shuffling of feet behind Ayeka that announced that the princess had not returned alone. The figure stepped out of the darkness and stood behind Ayeka. Her face was stern. Unable to decide if this was friend or foe, Sasami hesitated before speaking. Ayeka noticed the look of concern on Sasami's face and turned back to her guest. "It's all right."  
  
"Cute kid, isn't she?" Said the figure while using her hand to pull back a lock of white hair from her face.  
  
"It is quite all right Sasami. This is a friend."  
  
"You know her?" She said, looking the figure over. "Well then, uh, pleased to meet you."  
  
"Same here."  
  
Ayeka looked towards the house and recognized Washu's figure. Her bright hair standing out in the darkened field.  
  
"Hello Washu. I trust that my departure hasn't inconvenienced anyone."  
  
"It's great to see you back. You'll have to tell me everything that happened while you were gone a little later. And if you'll allow me, it might be a good idea to run some tests on the performance rate of your organs. You have after all, been traveling from dimension to dimension. It could have put a strain on your body."  
  
"I'm all right, I just need." She saw someone standing next to Washu, and the blue gem on his head told her it wasn't Ryoko or Tenchi.  
  
"Guess what sister?" Chirped in Sasami. "You're not the only one who's made a new friend. Here let me introduce you." She walked in between the two.  
  
"Ayeka, this is Daimyo, and Daimyo, this is my sister, Ayeka."  
  
"So you're Ayeka. I've heard many good things about you. It is a pleasure to finally meet you." He said, then gave a slight bow.  
  
Ayeka only picked up her chin and straightened herself.  
  
"Hm. I'm sure it is." She said, walking past him.  
  
He looked at Sasami, who just shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"Daimyo? Is that you?"  
  
The white hair swaying in the wind caught his attention. Satisfied that his eyes were not playing tricks on him, he walked up to the figure, his heart running a mile in his chest  
  
"Mireya?"  
  
"It's true, you are alive..."  
  
"I didn't think I'd ever see you again." He said after a slight pause.  
  
"What? You know her too?" Inquired Sasami.  
  
"Yes and no." He replied with a smirk on his face.  
  
A few yards away, Ayeka was already making her way towards the house. She noticed that two of the Masaki residents were currently missing from the reunion, but half expected that that would be the case when she returned.  
  
Azaka and Kamidake suddenly appeared in front her. She closed her eyes, and slightly bit her tongue; for fear that she might say something she'd regret later on. The two guardians appeared nervous, even without facial expressions to show it.  
  
"Princess, we're so glad you're safe."  
  
"Yes, we were so worried that something might have happened. We tried to follow you that day, into the sphere, but we couldn't seem to be able to. It was as if we were locked out."  
  
"We apologize for this. How can we ever make this up to you?"  
  
"Just name it princess, and it will be done."  
  
Ayeka balled her hand into a fist before speaking.  
  
"You two are sworn by Juraian oath to protect me whenever and wherever I so need it. Yet, the time that I needed you the most, you two conveniently decided to go on vacation..."  
  
"No princess, we tried to help but..."  
  
"Silence." She said in a tone more commanding than as if she had screamed it.  
  
"You two are a disgrace to your duties. Get out of my sight and do not return until I call. Understood?"  
  
"Yes princess."  
  
"As you command."  
  
They phased away, without another word.  
  
Sasami looked on in surprise.  
  
*Poor Ayeka. I bet she's been through a whole lot. I need something that will cheer her up. Hey wait I know.*  
  
"Washu, where's Tenchi?" She said after walking next to the scientist.  
  
"Good question. I wonder what's keeping him." Said Washu, not taking her eyes off of Ayeka.  
  
***************************************************  
  
Ryoko looked down upon Tenchi's sleeping figure. It was one of the few things that relaxed her and washed away all her worries. He looked so peaceful, just like he always did when he slept. She enjoyed watching him like this every night, but he had made it vehemently clear on several occasions that that was something he didn't necessarily appreciate. Now, any opportunity she receives to see him like this would be welcomed. She preferred to keep it like this anyway. She would be his protector, and he, her sacred treasure.  
  
It donned on her that he had that same face from a few nights ago. That night he called her Ayeka. It still hurt a little, but she's gotten over it.  
Everyone is allowed to make a mistake from time to time, she figured. She couldn't really blame him for thinking of her, for all he knew, she could have very well died that day. A smile crept on her face as the rhythm of his breathing melted away her doubts and worries.  
  
He slowly moved his head back and forth on his pillow.  
  
"I wonder what's going on in that head of yours." She said, realizing he was dreaming.  
  
Inside his mind, he glanced around, and realized he was in some sort of amusement park. He was tightly buckled inside a roller coaster, and was situated at the front cart. Next to him was Ryoko, who had a weird grin on her face.  
  
Directly behind him was Ayeka, staring angrily at Ryoko. Strangely enough, she was wearing a dominatrix outfit. He noted how it complemented her figure. Next to her, Sasami shared an ice cream cone with Ryo-Ohkie. A strange, orange, carrot shaped ice cream cone that he wondered whether or not tasted like carrot as well. Behind them, Washu typed away on her holotop while next to her sat a sleeping Mihoshi. Straining his neck to look further behind him, he saw Daimyo sitting in the last cart by himself. He's sitting with his arms crossed, and when they make eye contact, he screams at Tenchi:  
  
"Time to train, soft ass!"  
  
Looking ahead of him again, he looks at the pathway that the roller coaster is heading and gasps as he realizes how many loops and sharp turns they were actually going to make. He tried to undo himself and get away as fast as he could, but the ride had already started. Saying a silent prayer to himself, he braced himself for the worst.  
  
*Should I wake him up?* Ryoko wondered in the real world. *Wait, didn't Washu warn me one day about waking someone up from a dream? Something about heart. Heart pressure or something like that?*  
  
As it began to pick up speed, his stomach felt as if a flock of seagulls were flapping their way inside of him. The coaster began a slow ascent as it moved upwards on a long track. It seemed to endlessly travel upwards making Tenchi feel a little lightheaded. Its peak reached above the clouds, into space and a few feet next to planet Jurai. He looked up and heard Azusa, emperor of Jurai, curse at him.  
  
After a brief pause, the coaster began its descent.  
  
"Tenchi. I wish you knew what you meant to me." She whispered into his ear. She rested her elbow on the bed to balance herself, careful of not waking him up. "I would tell you, but I don't think you'd believe me. That would hurt the most. If only you knew."  
  
Moving at speeds of over two hundred miles per hour, Tenchi almost flew out of his seat due to the sudden shift in speed. The wind flapped violently by his face and pulled his cheeks back forcefully. He felt his lung travel up into his throat, and he knew he would have a heart attack at any moment.  
  
Only the sounds of metal angrily scraping against metal could be heard in his ears. His heart beat ran at an alarming rate, pumping his body full of blood. It took all his will power to look at Ryoko, who was still staring at him with that silly smile on her face. Her hair was flapping so hard, he wondered why it didn't just come off of her head.  
  
In the real world, Ryoko was about to place her hand on his shoulder, to wake him up. She was stopped in her tracks when he said her name in his sleep.  
  
*He's dreaming of me?* Blushing at the thought, she decided to let it finish, whatever it was that was actually going on in his head. *Well, no wonder he looks so nervous, he always gets that face whenever I'm doing something really naughty.*  
  
The coaster stopped its descent with a jolt and started zigzagging ferociously.  
  
He jerked back and forth in his seat, realizing he'd be thrown off at any moment. He slammed his body on his left side and momentarily became dizzy, as dizzy as anyone can get in a dream anyway. The ride mercilessly flung his body to where Ryoko would have been sitting. If not for the secured seatbelt, he would have slammed right into her. He managed to find enough clarity to realize that she literally wasn't in her seat for some odd reason.  
  
It made its way to a straightened path. This would have comforted him, except that he saw Ryoko flying next to him, with an even more devious smile on her face. It amazed him how she was able to keep up with the ride, which was already breaking the sound barrier.  
  
A light bulb flashed on top of her head like one of those American cartoons. She grabbed Tenchi with one hand, while the other free hand ripped his seatbelt off of him. She carried him as if he was a bride, and accelerated past the coaster, leaving a screaming Ayeka behind.  
  
Now he was scared.  
  
"Ryoko..." he said in his sleep.  
  
"Yes Tenchi, I'm right here."  
  
This was it she thought, he'd finally tell her what she so desperately wanted to hear for so long...  
  
"Ryoko... stop it...I'm scared..."  
  
Ryoko flew at blinding speeds, holding Tenchi in her arms. He held on as tightly as he could, not wanting to become a splatter stain on the ground. He felt like one of those crash test dummy's right before they slammed into a wall.  
  
She increased her altitude and flew high into the air. He couldn't bring himself to look down, so instead he tried to concentrate on her cleavage, which his head was conveniently resting on. The wind raced by him violently, and then, he looked up into her cat like eyes. She looked down at him with those feral golden eyes one last time, smiled, and dropped him.  
  
Ryoko's image became smaller and smaller until she looked like a small dot imprinted against a background of clouds. He flapped his hands in a futile attempt to fly as he turned his head to face downward. He almost wet himself as the image of the coaster tracks came closer and closer to him with each passing millisecond. To make matters worse, at the trajectory he was falling, he would land directly in front of the roller coaster's path. He prepared himself to experience how it would feel to have his entire body explode from impact.  
  
*Well, at least it's going to be quick.* He thought to himself.  
  
He could feel gravity pulling at him as he fell. Not pulling, more like aggressively yanking his body down to his death. The tracks were a couple of feet away from his face, then at the last second, Ryoko phased under him and caught him in mid fall.  
  
She flew at a normal pace again and looked down at him. His breathing was heavy and labored. The coaster finished its course without them. Clutching his chest to see if his heart was still beating, he looked at her with pleading eyes, too exhausted to speak. She merely replied:  
  
"What? I was only playing."  
  
Tenchi's eyes suddenly jerked open, and he felt his sheets covered in sweat. At least he hoped it was sweat, and not something else. Ryoko was standing next to the bed, looking not at him but off into the distance.  
  
She looked so strange. Her face had no expression. She almost looked like... a doll, he rationalized. She stood lifeless, almost the exact opposite of the fire that normally burned in her. He was taken in by a morbid curiosity while looking at her. The silence grew. She hadn't even realized he was up yet when he shifted himself to the edge of the bed. He began to worry that something had happened to the house, while he was asleep, and broke the silence.  
  
"Ryoko, is something wrong?"  
  
"Hello Tenchi. I didn't notice you waking up." Her face still showed no sign of emotion.  
  
"Yeah I just had this really... uh nevermind." He wiped off the last remains of sweat from his face. "So what's up?"  
  
"Washu says there's something you might like to see..."  
  
"Oh all right. Well them I'll just get my..." The memory of his dream still fresh in his head, he hesitated briefly. "Hey wait a second, this isn't another trick of yours, is it? I mean, you not. just playing?"  
  
"No. No trick. It's by the shrine."  
  
"Well, all right." It was hard to read her expression. As blank as a painters canvas without the paint.  
  
He looked down at himself and realized he was only wearing his boxers and a snug fitting shirt under the blanket. "Just give me a moment to get dressed and I'll meet you there."  
  
"Sure." She teleported out of the room.  
  
Tenchi stared at where she was standing only moments ago, and was debating in his head on whether or not he actually saw a tear come down her face.  
  
He chalked it up to still being a little groggy from sleep, and decided his eyes were playing tricks on him.  
  
*Something is definitely up with her though.*  
  
He let out an inward sigh. *You're such an idiot Tenchi. Wasn't it just a little while ago where you promised that things would be different from now on? What if at the store you were hurt by those thieves, or worse? What if you never had the chance to tell these people how much you appreciate them? Sure, they are all a pain in their own way, but what if they all just went away? Think you'll be able to handle that? And here, Ryoko was upset at something and you didn't even try to help her. And what was that weird dream about?*  
  
He slipped into a comfortable pair of pants that he forgot he owned. Stretching his arms above his head, he heard a dozen small pops and cracks come from his back and shoulders.  
  
*Ayeka, I'm so sorry that we haven't come for you yet. I can only pray to the spirits that you're safe. I really wish that Washu would figure out where you are, so you could come home. I have no idea what's happening to you right now, but please be safe.*  
  
"Grandfather, I wish you were here." He said out loud, not necessarily speaking to anyone. "Hey, come to think of it, I wonder why he hasn't even written us yet. I hope everything is fine over there in America. Though I wonder what business you had there. You have your reasons, but I really wish you were here to help me deal with all this. Father is still on his business trip as well. He sends us money every week, but I guess I'm just not used to being the man of the house."  
  
Ryoko appeared in front of the house. She looked over its details and features, and realized how strong its foundation was. She wished she could be like a sturdy house, with a strong foundation that housed her heart and her soul. But everyday it seemed she was using all her energy to keep from crumbling in on herself.  
  
Standing in front of the house, she covered her mouth with her hand and did her best to hold back as many tears from coming down her face as possible.  
  
**************************************************  
  
Mireya walked up to Ayeka and gently reached out to hold her hand. She lightly brushed aside some purple hair, and they looked deeply into each others eyes.  
  
"My love, I have some things to discuss with my friend over there." She said, pointing to Daimyo. "But I promise it will not take long, and I will return as soon as I am finished. Do you approve?"  
  
*My love?* Thought Sasami, becoming confused.  
  
"Yes, I do. Just as long as it is quick."  
  
"Will you be near?"  
  
"I will be in the house along this path."  
  
"Very well." She said, planting a quick kiss on the princess' cheek.  
  
She joined Daimyo at his side, and they nodded to each other. Now Sasami was very puzzled. She playfully kicked Daimyo on his shin to get his attention.  
  
"Oh, I'll be back in a little while. Just have to catch up on some small talk, that's all. Nothing big."  
  
"Well, all right. I'll save dinner for you then."  
  
"Thanks." He turned to the woman next to him. "All right Mireya, let's go."  
  
Sasami watched as they both walked off into the night.  
  
*******************************************  
  
The trio walked about halfway home in silence. Sasami tried her best not to let anyone know that she occasionally looked behind every two minutes.  
Ayeka led the small group, walking at a very brisk pace that compromised her usually graceful form. Washu was the first to notice the slight change in the princess' walk, it no longer had that air of superiority like it did before, almost as if she'd been humbled by her experiences. That would have been cause for celebration on it's own, but something in Washu's brilliant mind told her that there was something else, something a little darker about Ayeka's experiences. But decided that now was an inappropriate time to pry. Maybe it was just her.  
  
Ryoko appeared in front of them, or rather, directly in front of Ayeka.  
  
The two rivals said nothing; they merely stared into each other's faces. Time stopped between them as they stood, fixed this way, for ages. To onlookers, it was hard to decide if they were challenging each other, or just acknowledging each other's presence. Each stood their ground, neither giving an inch to the other. Sasami was the first to feel the tension, and moved in between them. Through their peripheral vision, they were eerily reminded of their last scuffle, as she walked next to them.  
  
Calling a momentary truce, Ayeka spoke first.  
  
"So, are you going to gawk at me all day or are you going to move?"  
  
Ryoko turned her back and crossed her arms before stepping out of the way. She did this just in time to see Tenchi walk in from a cluster of bushes.  
  
"Ok Ryoko, what exactly did you call me all the way out here for."  
  
He saw her just over Ryoko's shoulder, looking at him, with a smile slowly making it's way onto her face. He thought he was hallucinating, that maybe his eyes we're still playing tricks on him in the dimly lit night.  
  
"Ayeka?"  
  
"Hello, Tenchi."  
  
His need for sleep suddenly left him, and was replaced with a combination of surprise and joy. He smiled deeply and, walking past Ryoko, he failed to notice the look of pain in her eyes, or in her heart.  
  
"Ayeka, it's really you! I'm so glad that you're safe."  
  
Her eyes bulged out a bit in shock as Tenchi wrapped his arms around her. At this point, her emotions we're raging in her head. She felt happy that the person she loved more than anyone else was finally showing affection toward her, but this happiness conflicted with another feeling that was viciously fighting for her recognition.  
  
"Thank kami you're safe. I don't know what we would have done without you."  
  
As Ryoko watched on, she could feel her heart dry up in her chest like a raisin that was left out in the desert. Finally, she could take no more and phased away to the only place she knew she could be alone with her thoughts. This place was, unfortunately, the same place she used to perfect her fighting skills.  
It was somewhat ironic that now the only place she could find sanctuary for her broken heart was the same place that was designed to harden her body. With a soft hum, she was gone.  
  
For the slightest of moments, Washu herself could feel the torment in Ryoko's mind. She figured she wasn't really needed here, and decided to go someplace where she knew she had to be now, by her daughter's side.  
  
Ayeka slowly took her hand a gently pushed out of Tenchi's embrace. It was an awkward moment, but Tenchi thought that maybe he did let his emotions get the best of him.  
  
"It's nice to see you too, Tenchi."  
  
"Yeah. Well, let's go inside. I'm sure you're tired, so we can wait until tomorrow until you feel your ready to talk about, you know, what happened."  
  
"Err, yes. Tomorrow. Right now, I'm very tired, and I don't really feel like talking about."  
  
*Voog.*  
  
*Voog.*  
  
"Yes?"  
  
*Voog Voog Voog Voog.*  
  
"Ayeka?"  
  
*VoogVoogVoogVoogVoogVoogVoog.*  
  
"Ayeka, are you all right?"  
  
*VOOOOOOOG!*  
  
She unwrapped her fists that were curled up white-knuckle tight. The imprint of her fingernails etched in her palm.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry Tenchi. As I said, I just need rest. Sasami?"  
  
She was too busy looking into the night behind her to hear her sister calling, hoping Daimyo would suddenly turn around and catch up with them.  
  
"Sasami?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, yes Ayeka?"  
  
"You and I are going to have a discussion about that friend of yours tomorrow. Ok?"  
  
"Uh, yeah ok, sure."  
  
"Good. Let's go home Tenchi."  
  
***************************************************  
  
Billions of light years away, on the barren lands of Draka, two figures make their way through the deserted plains. They walk, slowly, towards their destination.  
  
"The emperor will not approve of this, Voog."  
  
"Look, how was I supposed to know that Mireya would show her face again?"  
  
"She should be nothing compared to you. You're one of the masters generals, disposing of her should not have been a problem at all."  
  
"What? And exactly how many times have YOU tried to open a portal to another universe? It is a very complex and draining incantation. I exhausted myself in creating that damned thing in the first place, and then she shows up."  
  
"And you couldn't keep her busy for five more minutes until I got there."  
  
"I tell you it was as if she knew of our plans. I thought that the emperor was the only one who knew of the location of the portal."  
  
"In any case, you will be the one to make this report to the emperor."  
  
"Now wait just one second." He said, stepping in front of Botaro.  
  
If someone was standing behind Botaro, the only indication they would see that he was not alone was the head that was looking down at him a few inches above his own.  
  
"It's not my fault that you took your sweet time getting there. If you were punctual for once this wouldn't have happened!"  
  
"Don't blame me because you couldn't handle two flowers."  
  
"Let me make one thing distinctly clear, Botaro." he said as dark purple energy emanated around his form, "My powers recuperate very quickly, and I do not care if you are the emperors son, if you do not watch your tongue around me, I might be tempted to rip it out. You may be the first general, but only because you've been here for much longer than I have."  
  
Botaro let out a deep belly laugh.  
  
"Calm yourself. We have no time for your humor. Remember who you speak to, I'm not one of those wenches that you so enjoy toying with." He said, still smiling.  
  
"What."  
  
"Oh please. Don't think I don't know what you do to those girls. You enjoy the fear in their faces whenever you step into the hall. That's the only reason you keep all of them in one place. And we found that girls diary. I think the emperor would be most curious to see how one of his top generals truly conducts himself. Wouldn't you think?"  
  
"Ugh. FINE, I'll make the blasted report."  
  
"First we couldn't find Daimyo's body, and now this. We were both in charge of that, and we have failed. I'm sure we will feel the emperor's wrath threefold."  
  
"Oh well." Said Voog. "He does have a short temper, but I don't think it will affect him so badly. After all, what difference does it make if Mireya found another place to rot on? The better for us."  
  
"Fool. Have you forgotten that the entire purpose of this was to find Daimyo's body? Which means."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Which means if he's still alive, then he is now rejoined with Mireya." He slammed his titanic fist into the ground, causing a tremor that knocked Voog off balance.  
  
"This is not good. The emperor will be furious."  
  
"For the last time, the only reason that your father wants Daimyo dead is because he believes that your broth... I mean Daimyo, holds the power of the dark dragon. I tell you, it's nothing but nonsense. A story passed down through the ages, nothing more. Regardless of what he is, he cannot get passed us."  
  
"All right Voog, for all our sakes, I hope you're right."  
  
*******************************************  
  
"This looks like a good spot."  
  
"Are you sure we are alone?"  
  
Taking a quick look around, Daimyo nodded in assurance.  
  
"All right then." After pointing her palm toward the ground, a small sphere of light appeared in front of them, illuminating the once pitch black surroundings. They sat in much the same way that boy scouts would sit next to a campfire.  
  
"It's been a long time Daimyo. It's good to see you're alive. So, how long have you been here?"  
  
"Just a week or two. I'm sorry if I made all of you worry after I left the rebellion, but I had my reasons."  
  
"I figured you'd say something like that. Well, you did worry me. You've been gone from the battlefield for more than a year, I didn't know if you were dead or anything. But I guess it's a little late to be talking about how I missed you."  
  
His eyebrows came together in confusion. "By the way, how fare the other members of the rebellion? Are they well?"  
  
The look on her face was unreadable. Then, she chuckled quietly.  
  
"They are all gone Daimyo. All of them are either dead, or imprisoned. Things just weren't the same once you left. We looked everywhere for you, you know? We had no order anymore. No guidance. The only hope we clung to was the one chance that you'd return and lead us to glory. We made terrible strategic mistakes, and now, we are no more." She looked at him almost pleadingly. "Why Daimyo? Why did you just leave all of a sudden so long ago?"  
  
"I'm sorry to hear that, but like I said, I had my reasons. That's all you need to know."  
  
"Yeah, I should have expected a typical Daimyo response like that." She rolled her eyes.  
  
They sat in silence for a few moments. He ran his fingers across his knuckles, much like he always did when he was thinking, and she just looked out into the distance.  
  
"Not that I'm complaining, but how did you find your way here?"  
  
"It's a long story, so I'll just leave out the details. I found out that Trowa ordered a gateway to be opened, it seems that he was looking for confirmation on your death."  
  
"So, even he thinks I'm dead, huh?"  
  
"All the more reason we should attempt a surprise attack. Anyway, Ayeka was convinced that this portal was the only chance she had to get back home, so it was only a matter of waiting for the right opportunity to present itself."  
  
"And no one tried to stop you?"  
  
"Well thankfully, that damned Voog was alone when he was casting the spell to open the gateway. He was too exhausted from the use of his magic to stop us on his own. Thank the heavens that Botaro decided not to accompany him, or me and Ae would be rotting in that prison hall again."  
  
"Ae?"  
  
"Oh, it's just my pet name for her."  
  
"If you say so. Wait, so you two were captured? But how did."  
  
"Relax. Like I said, it's a long story. Let's just say that the empire is much too overconfident with their security."  
  
"I see."  
  
Seeing that the ball of light had lost its intensity, she once again pointed her palm towards it and made it glow twice as bright.  
  
"So tell me, how did the prince of Draka end up here, in this little village?"  
  
"Well, one of those gateways you were talking about? A few weeks ago, I was walking through Gara Square and boom, next thing I know, I was in that household. I guess you can call it fate."  
  
"Hm. Heh, that's one way to put it. What were you doing at Gara Square anyway? You know it's just a death trap, a place where they discard the bodies of cowards and weaklings. What were you doing in a place like that?"  
  
"I don't know. I hardly feel like examining my actions now."  
  
"Yup, never fails. Have you told anyone yet?"  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Don't play dumb with me. You know."  
  
"No, I don't."  
  
"The scales."  
  
A shiver made it's way up his spine. "I told you a long time ago that I didn't want to relive that experience."  
  
"Oh, come on. Don't tell me you're still upset over almost killing me that day. I know it was an accident and I've forgotten all about it. So should you."  
  
"That's not it. That power wasn't meant for, well, mortals I guess. It's hard to describe. It was as if I was a different person entirely. I don't want to go through with that feeling again. "  
  
"You have to Daimyo. It's our only shot against the empire now. By the way, when do we plan to go back?"  
  
"That's another thing Mireya. I want to stay here."  
  
Her face went blank. "What did you just say?"  
  
He sighed. "Look around you Mireya. It's so peaceful here. Have you ever seen so many trees gathered in one area as lush as these? The air is so much more welcoming than back home. If I can even call it home that is. The people of this planet are not plagued with the sort of conflict that we are used to seeing. They can walk freely without all the hesitation, the caution. Can't we just forget about Draka? Can't we just move on?"  
  
She curled up her fist and her voice rose sharply. "Move on? MOVE ON!?"  
  
"..."  
  
"You of all people should know what we are fighting for in the first place. You talk about how peaceful this place is, well, who do you think is responsible for all the misery on our planet? It's up to us to put a stop to Trowa now. He controls everything Daimyo. He doesn't care about anything except using fear and oppression to expand his power. It's a wonder he doesn't tax the water we drink.  
  
He still sat in silence.  
  
"And you sit there and tell me that you, the only hope we have against this empire, don't want to use your abilities to help because you're tired of fighting. How selfish you have become."  
  
"You've made your point."  
  
She lowered her tone and moved in closer, placing a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Listen Daimyo. It's just you and me now. Now, it's impossible for the two of us to topple the empire on our own, unless of course, we have the dark dragon scales on our side, which you possess."  
  
"Oh come on. Don't tell me you still believe in that nonsense."  
  
"Believe in it?" Her eyes widened. "I've seen you use it with my own eyes! When you fought Botaro, remember? You challenged him after his betrayal was made apparent. I still remember the fire in your eyes. You knew of his reputation and fighting prowess first hand, but you didn't care. When you two fought, he was on the verge of victory but then, by the gods, you tapped into the power of the scales! It was a grand sight."  
  
"First of all, I lost that one. Try as I might, he was still too much for me. And after I used this 'power' as you call it, I woke up in the barren fields, with you just barely clinging on to life next to me. I didn't remember anything that happened, but it also didn't help when I found out that I was the one responsible for your condition."  
  
She was now sitting next to him, knees drawn up to her chest.  
  
"Look, you said it earlier, you weren't yourself. You couldn't control it. The sudden jump in power was too much for your mind and body to handle. So you went slightly nuts, big deal. I'm still here and you're still here. Which means we still have a chance to change things."  
  
"Listen to yourself. You act as if we are both some sort of galactic police people in charge of bringing order to the world."  
  
"Look, I've come with good news. Maybe we won't be so helpless when we finally take them on.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I think I've found a way to control it."  
  
"What? What in blazes are you talking about now?"  
  
"Well, remember how you brought me back from the brink of death?"  
  
"Yeah." He brought his hand to his chin in contemplation. "I managed to transfer some of my blood into you after I found that medical center. Good thing I found it too. The medicine man told me that I brought you just in time."  
  
"Right. Well Daimyo, your blood wasn't the only thing that was transferred."  
  
He cocked an eyebrow up. "What? You lost me."  
  
"Well, believe it or not, when I was in the middle of that procedure, I could literally feel the life returning to my body, even as I lay unconscious. It took me a while to recover, but when I did, I felt better than I ever did in my entire life. I think it's because, well, I gained some of your own strength when you gave me your blood."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well, it's nowhere near as intense as yours, but I think I've managed to focus in on it. It's a little hard to explain. So I'll just show you. Just watch."  
  
She stood up and clenched her fists together while closing her eyes.  
  
"Stop it, you don't know what you're getting into."  
  
"It's.not hard..just got to..readjust."  
  
A soft red glow surrounded her as she drowned out all distractions from her mind. Nothing existed around her, except the steady rhythm of her heartbeat. She focused on the feelings of her arms and legs, mentally trying to guide her very essence into all her muscles. Her hair defined gravity and began to slowly float upwards, at the same time changing into a light shade of red.  
  
"Mireya?"  
  
"Look.see.it's not that hard. Ahhh. AHHHH!"  
  
She held her head in between her hands, trying to shut out the pain that dug into her skull.  
  
"Fight it Mireya. Come back to me, don't let it win."  
  
"Urggh..Ahhhhhhh!"  
  
He moved in to grab her by the shoulders, but she flung him off. He flew several feet away from her and his momentum scrapped his body along the ground before he stopped. He looked up at her after regaining his balance, and the glow around her body became brighter. Her speech became almost incomprehensible now. As he looked on, a feeling of dread came to his stomach. The person in front of him was on the brink of madness, visibly struggling to keep herself in check.  
  
"I have to stop her now before she hurts someone. But how?"  
  
Her hair was now fully red in color, a furious color to match the fire in her soul. Daimyo desperately looked for a way to stop what was going on in front of him, but couldn't think of a reasonable way. Talking to her? That was out of the question. She probably is too caught up in her on rage to even understand him. He knew that by the time he went back to the house to warn everyone, it would already be too late. Finding no other option, he decided on the only course of action that he thought would diffuse this time bomb.  
  
"Mireya, I hope you won't hold a grudge."  
  
Daimyo stood ready to diffuse the bomb, he just hoped the opportunity would present itself quickly. Mireya held her head in the palm of her hands the pain in her skull was tearing her mind apart. She continued to glow brighter with each passing moment. Her upper body bent over, appearing like her body wanted to throw up, but the gag wasn't present, just unbearable pain.  
Daimyo saw that her attention wasn't on him anymore and took the opportunity that was at hand. He rushed her as fast as he could move, hoping that his blow would be enough to render her unconscious. She violently snapped her body back and screamed, an unseen force knocked Daimyo back ten feet, planting him into one of the nearby trees. His body felt like someone went to work on him with a jackhammer.  
He looked up at her and saw that he wouldn't be able to stop her from destroying most of the surrounding area. The horrible realization that his friend, who wanted so much to help their people, would accidentally be their destruction. He knew that if anyone could stop what was going to happen, it would have to be her.  
  
"Mireya, try to control it! Fight it back!"  
  
Mireya was trying with all her will power to stop herself from leveling the area. She had seen what Daimyo was capable of with the Dragon Scales, which was forever etched into her memory. Knowing what he was capable of, she would definitely kill Daimyo and herself.  
  
* I. . .have to. . .regain. . .control. . . If I. . .don't. . .we'll die. *  
  
Mireya then remembered that Daimyo's friends would perish as well. Then a chilling though came to her mind.  
  
* Ae. . .I'll kill Ae. . .I won't. . .let. . .that. .Happen!!* She screamed out inside her mind.  
  
She began to concentrate on the one person she cared for now. The one person who kept her company in that lonely dark prison cell. The one that she felt she truly loved. Ayeka.  
Daimyo continued to only be able to watch her try to regain herself. He noticed that her furious reddish glow was starting to dim down. She had stopped screaming gibberish, but she was still displaying signs that she was still internally in battle with herself.  
Mireya felt the pain in her skull numbing down, she was winning her battle and thanked the gods that it appeared she wasn't going to destroy everyone. Although she wanted to have a celebration, it only lasted for a split second in order for her to concentrate on dispersing the built up energy.  
The red energy finally faded from her form, her hair, which had defied gravity in those few minutes, changed back to her normal white and fell back to her body. Exhausted, Mireya dropped gently to her knees and caught herself from falling face first into the ground. She was breathing heavily from the mixture of fear and adrenaline intertwined at that moment.  
  
Daimyo carefully walked over to her side and knelt down next to her. She slightly lifted her head and they looked at each other for a couple of seconds.  
  
"I think you still need to work on controlling it a little better."  
  
Mireya gave him a semi stern look. "Yeah Daimyo, it's great to be in your company again." She finished with a light chuckle.  
  
"I think it's time we call it a night."  
  
"After what I've been through in the past few days, I could stand to call it a week."  
  
"C'mon let's get back to the house, you can relax there."  
  
Daimyo helps Mireya stand up and holds her up walking her back to the house. Mireya pushes him away from her a few feet after he starts trying to hold her up walking her back to the house.  
  
*************************************************  
  
Everyone in the house was sitting around in the living room, everyone except Ryoko. Everyone was happy that Ayeka returned unharmed, but there seemed to be a deafening silence in the atmosphere. No one knew what happened to Ayeka within the two weeks she was gone, but nobody wanted to inquire on her ordeal just yet. They assumed that if anything did happen to her, she would eventually tell them, if anything was troubling her.  
Ayeka and Sasami sat on the couch. Sasami was clinging to her sister, making it appear that she was afraid something else would happen to her should she let go of her. Although Ayeka welcomed her sisters loving embrace, within the past few weeks, she had longed for the touch of a loved one.  
In those past few weeks, she had received touching from someone who was not welcomed to her. Deep down Ayeka knew that her live was now forever changed. Worst of all she didn't think that she would be able to welcome a man's touch after her ordeal, not even Tenchi's.  
  
* Lord Tenchi finally showed affection for me. He had me in an embrace that I had so longed for to be with him. And yet when he held me, I felt slightly appalled by it. Oh goddess Tsunami what has that horrible monster done to me. That creature has taken more from me than my innocence, but also my love for Tenchi as well. * The purple haired beauty thought, a couple of tears slowly crept down her peach colored cheeks.  
  
Washu was sitting off to the side from Ayeka and Sasami. She sipped on her cup of tea that she fixed herself; her gaze was fixed on Ayeka all the while. Washu could tell Ayeka seems to have gone through some traumatic event. Although the petite scientist was unable to tell what it was that happened to her and just how much the gentle princess has changed.  
  
Then Washu's thoughts turned to another person, one that was still absent from the rest of the group. She knew that Ryoko was having a hard time dealing with Ayeka's return. She had felt the pain in Ryoko's heart before she retreated back to her training room. She felt she should talk to Ryoko, but for now she knew it was best to leave her alone right now.  
  
************************************************  
  
* BBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM * An explosion shatters a huge boulder that was standing on the landscape. A fury of kicks and punches making swishing sounds from breaking the serenity of the air. A barrage of energy blast destroys the top edge of a canyon's wall.  
  
Ryoko sped off into the air, the wind gushing her cyan hair about in a furry that matched her determination. She felt she reached her next target, directed the energy from her gem into the palm of her hand. Grasping the energy, she formed her energy sword, feeding it enormous energy from the gem the sword's length grew to twenty feet.  
  
Freefalling from her altitude she brought the sword over her head. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" She cried bringing her sword down onto the top of a large rock hill. The sword burned it's way through the rock of the hill, Ryoko held fast and sliced her way to the base of the rock. Ryoko kneels down to get the rock cut completely to the base when her feet touch the ground again.  
Seeing that she has gone as far as she can go, she stops the flow of energy to the sword and it vanishes from site. Several rocks are heard tumbling down the new shape of the rock and a slight rumble can be heard by Ryoko. The new half of the rock begins to slump over and falls off the edge of the cliff it was standing on. A loud rumble results in the collapse of the rock hitting the canyon floor and pillars of dust rise up behind Ryoko.  
The ex-pirate has been going non-stop for a few hours, since Ayeka returned. She knew that Tenchi missed her, which brought the memory of Tenchi calling her Ayeka that one night. Her heart ached knowing that Tenchi is most likely fully focused on Ayeka, seeing as how he completely ignored her when he saw Ayeka.  
So she retreated to the training dimension, hoping that she can escape the pain by pushing herself into the training. However, she knew that there was no escaping it, but hoped that pushing herself in here would ease it somewhat.  
She felt her eyes begin to water up, the hurt was coming back to her, she couldn't outrun it any longer. She tried to hold back the tears, but she could not stop them from flowing down her gentle face.  
  
". . .Tenchi. . ." She whispered to herself. "Please don't forget about me." She finished looking to the sun setting in the dimensional training area.  
  
*********************************************  
  
Tenchi had been by Ayeka's side for most of the evening. He told her about how worried everyone had been and how he wanted to come to her rescue. He explained what occurred in Washu's lab that resulted in her teleportation to Daimyo's world. And told her that the coordinates in Washu's machine were lost.  
Ayeka sat listening to Tenchi telling her of the events of the weeks that she was gone. To everyone else, she appeared to be fully concentrated on him explaining everything. However Ayeka's mind was tormenting her with the thoughts of Voog and what happened to her on Draka. She felt so much hatred built up inside of her, she felt her mind becoming bent on seeking revenge for what happened. For now there was something else Ayeka wanted to do.  
  
"Well Tenchi, it sounds like my absence has troubled everyone greatly. I'm sorry if my absence was any inconvenience to anyone. For now I would like very much to go and bathe. It feels like it's been an eternity since I've had a nice southing bath."  
  
"Oh. .sure. .go ahead, take a bath, we're just all glad you made it back in one piece Ayeka."  
  
"Thank you Tenchi."  
  
Ayeka arises off the couch, slowly so as not to disturb the resting Sasami lying on the couch. She walks off heading toward the onsen, again she walks off not in the usual graceful steps she so often takes around the house.  
Washu takes notice of her changes and fears the worst has happened to her.  
  
* I believe it's worse than I originally guessed. She seems to be  
afraid to tell anyone about what took place on Daimyo's planet. If it's  
that bad, there could already be some major psychological damage. *  
  
It was then that a faint whistling noise is heard in the living room. It was faint enough at first to where only a couple of the residences noticed the sound. Now it had received everyone's attention. They could hear it was coming from outside.  
Stepping outside the remainder of the Tenchi company saw a red fireball in the atmosphere making it's way down toward the house. Although it had been a while since they last saw her, they instinctively knew the pilot of the silhouette of the ship that was descending toward them.  
  
"Ah Mihoshi's back." Tenchi pointed out.  
  
The ship eased up on the acceleration and began to descend gently to the ground. Three landing gears lock into position to hold the ship up upon touchdown. The ship came within a couple of feet off the ground and kicked up wind that blew heavily from the grass underneath to the clothing of everyone watching the landing. The ship touches down and the engines power down, creating a dying wailing noise.  
A ramp opens up on the bottom of the ship, a figure runs down the ramp. The owner of the ship wore a standard galaxy police uniform, it was fixed to perfection on how it was supposed to be worn, which displayed great respect to the department. The individual had a dark tan, curly blonde hair, and innocent looking blue eyes. It was clearly the blonde bombshell of the galaxy police, Mihoshi.  
  
"YAY! I landed the ship perfectly! I landed the sh-ip, I landed the sh- ip." She sung as she skipped around in a circle.  
  
* Sometimes I have to wonder how that woman made it into the galaxy police. * The petite genius thought to herself.  
  
"Hello Mihoshi." Tenchi greeted.  
  
Hearing a familiar voice, the galaxy police officer stops her song and dance and looks with unparalleled joy at her friends.  
  
"OH, Tenchi, I missed you guys so much." She clasped her hands together, her eyes shrink rapped in tears.  
  
"So what brings you around here Mihoshi?"  
  
"Oh, hello Miss Washu. I missed you too." She clung herself onto the red- haired scientist, applying one of her infamous bear hugs.  
  
"M. .Mihoshi. .let.go. .I. .missed you too. .Now. .let go. ." She finished patting her on the back. She was willing to say anything to get out of her grasp.  
  
"So do you have some time off to visit with us Mihoshi?"  
  
With Tenchi's question Mihoshi opened her eyes and released her hold on Washu.  
  
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I'm on duty still. Headquarters sent me here to investigate some type of distortions happening around this area. At first they thought it was a class A criminal trying to escape subspace, but their all accounted for. That's what Ukonojo told me and I'm here to see what's going on."  
  
Washu was regaining enough oxygen from Mihoshi's bear hug to help explain what had occurred.  
  
"It's alright Mihoshi, there's nothing to be afraid of. It was one of my machines that caused the distortions."  
  
"Oh wow, I hope nobody got injured." Mihoshi wished, her innocent eyes shown from the perspiration building in her eyes in case someone did get hurt.  
  
"No. No one got injured Mihoshi." She pauses and turns her head slightly toward the house. "Not that we know of."  
  
Next Chapter: The Demon and the Dragon 


	8. The Demon and the Dragon

Hello. Welcome to the next chapter of Shogun Muyo. If you haven't read any of the other chapters yet, I suggest you read them first, if not please continue.  
  
I do not own any of the Tenchi Muyo characters and I am in no way making a profit off of writing this story. I am writing purely for the enjoyment of it. Now I bring to you:  
  
Shogun Muyo: Chapter 8- The Demon and the Dragon  
  
The warmth of the water was caressing and nurturing. The mist from the heat of the water gave an otherworldly effect on the surrounding objects in the room. It appeared to be a junction between life and the afterlife. The individual taking in the sites of this otherworldly place was cleansing herself of the filth she collected onto her body during her hard journey. She could not however, seem to cleanse her soul of the filth. All she could seem to do was let her muscles relax and enjoy the quiet serenity of the onsen.  
Ayeka was so caught up in enjoying the water; she failed to notice the company that came into the room until she entered the water. Startled, she quickly turned her head and inhaled a sharp gasp. Her muscles no longer relaxed tensed all over, in preparation for whatever was going to happen to her next. Seeing who it was, she allowed her body to relax itself. Releasing the breath she took in, breathing returning to normal and allowed her body to sink back into place.  
  
"My aren't we tense."  
  
"You startled me Ryoko."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
Ayeka turned her head to Ryoko quickly, her face displayed amazement and disbelieve at Ryoko. That had to have been the first time she had ever heard Ryoko apologize to her. She saw Ryoko had her back to Ayeka reaching for something. Knowing she didn't see the expression on her face, she returned her face to its normal expression. Ryoko turned back around with a tray that held a couple of bottles of sake.  
  
"Sake?"  
  
"That would be nice."  
  
Each of them poured their amounts of sake into their drinking bowls and sipped the drink. Ayeka enjoyed the warm feeling the sake had on the back of her throat. The liquid warmed its way down her throat and headed toward her stomach.  
  
"So I guess your enjoying the extra attention from everyone." Ryoko said resting her head against the side of the pool.  
  
"It's comforting. Tell me, this Daimyo, he's from Draka?"  
  
"Ah, yeah he appeared in the spot where you disappeared. He's a stuck up jerk sometimes, but he has some moments when you can like him. I think everyone likes him, Sasami seems to have taken to him a little."  
  
"Has he ever. . . been alone with her?" Ayeka asked with a hint of fear and concern in her voice.  
  
"I guess, everyone kind of does their own thing in the days, you know that Ayeka. Why do you ask?"  
  
"Is he. . .decent?"  
  
Ryoko felt a little shocked at her question. "Like I said he's full of himself, but I wouldn't believe he'd try to take advantage of Sasami. What made you ask a question like that?"  
  
The sudden sound of the screen door sliding open gathered the two's attention away from the conversation between each other. Ayeka covers herself with her hands, fearing that it was Tenchi walking in on the two. Looking to the door in fear, she saw a figure that was a comfort to her now. The figure had gentle eyes and had shoulder length white hair.  
  
"Oh. .There you are my love. I'm sorry to disturb you during your bath. I shall leave you to your privacy."  
  
Sliding the door shut, Mireya caught a glimpse of someone else in the bath with her. Stopping the door from shutting completely she looked toward the other person in the room with Ayeka with question and concern. She slid the door back open to regain their attention.  
  
"Who are you? Ae, who is this?!" She asked with demand in her tone of voice.  
  
"It's alright Mireya, this is. . ." Ayeka paused in her answer.  
  
Suddenly her mind raced through her memories of her and Ryoko's time they spent together. Their fights, their peaceful moments in each other's company all seemed to merge into one moment in her head. Her mind searched for the right words to tell Mireya. This is what, her friend, rival, foe, unwelcomed piece of space trash?  
Ayeka had paused for a few seconds, Ryoko looked at Ayeka wondering what it was she was doing. She saw that Ayeka was looking back and trying to say something, but her voice didn't seem to want to work. Ryoko raised her sake bowl in a salutary manner to Ayeka. Urging her on to her answer. Finally Ayeka was able to refocus on her voice.  
  
"I'm sorry, Mireya this is a friend."  
  
"Oh. . .I'm sorry my love. I was just concerned that's all. I'll await your presence when you're finished." She finished giving Ryoko a stern look before letting the door shut.  
  
Ryoko turned her head back at Ayeka. "What was that all about?"  
  
Ayeka raised her hand to gently rub on the left side of her head. "I'm sorry, for a second there memories just came into my mind all at once. I. .I had to pause in spite of it all."  
  
Ryoko looked confused. "Huh? Oh. .not that. . .I meant the. . . My love?" Ryoko looked questionably at Ayeka.  
  
"Oh." Ayeka replied looking embarrassed. "Well Mireya is different from most girls, her ideal mate is someone more. . .feminine." Ayeka finished thinking she chose the right word to end her response.  
  
Ryoko appeared she was about to ask "What do you mean", then her eye's widened in understanding of what Ayeka was meaning. A devious grin formed on her lips, her eyes closed closer to each other signaling that she was going to reply in a manner that Ayeka wouldn't like.  
  
"Oooohhh. Now I get it. You were off experiencing new things weren't you Ayeka? Here we were worried that something terrible could have been happening to you and you were off becoming a muff diver."  
  
"E. .Excuse Me?!"  
  
"So is she supposed to be the male and you're the little woman? That would explain why she looked at me like she wanted to kill me."  
  
"Don't be absurd! I already explained to her that the love she wants cannot be. I explained to her that I'm in love with Lord Tenchi and it takes more than a pretty face to replace my love for him."  
  
"So does that mean that you weren't that good in bed with her then?" Ryoko asked, twisting the knife a little more.  
  
"RYOKO!"  
  
Waving her hands in front of her. "Hey calm down Ayeka. I was merely joking, you need to loosen up and get a sense of humor."  
  
"Her concern for me is more of a body guard than anything else."  
  
"A body guard? I thought there had to be a huge ceremony in order for someone to become a body guard for the royalty of Jurai?"  
  
"Well. .we'll have to have the ceremony at a later time, but for now it'll work."  
  
"So how did you and her meet?"  
  
Ayeka cringed at the thought of remembering what occurred on Draka. "I. .I would rather not talk about that."  
  
"Oh, it sounds like something embarrassing happened while you were away, common spill it. What happened?"  
  
"I. . .I."  
  
"Common what happened? Did you walk into a shower room and see her bathing and fell in love with her or what? Common tell me?" Ryoko verbally attacked, grabbing onto Ayeka's shoulder and began to shake her a little.  
  
The memories of the prison cell came back to Ayeka. The dampness of the prison, she could still feel it on her skin. She could smell the fear of the inhabitants of the prison block when. . .he walked down the hall. She could feel his eyes on her still. The coldness of his eyes, the haunting presence that he gave off, she could still feel him near her.  
  
Ryoko continued to ask questions, making the memories surface, they had to stop coming back to her.  
  
"DON'T TOUCH ME!!! I SAID I DON"T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT!!" She screamed, ripping Ryoko's hands off of her shoulders. Ayeka flung her arms out to rip away from her touch, knocking over the sake tray and bottles.  
  
Ryoko looked in shock at Ayeka's reaction to her questions. She has never seen Ayeka explode like that before. She usually seemed to scream with pride and some grace, but now it seemed so. . frightening.  
  
"I. . .I wish to be alone."  
  
At a loss of words from her outburst, Ryoko nods her head in compliance with Ayeka's wish. As Ryoko lifts herself out of the water, Ayeka holds herself in her arms, still feeling the coldness of Voogs presence near her.  
  
*Tsunami, will I feel his presence even here? That monster! What has he done to me? I must punish him for what he has done! *  
  
"Ayeka."  
  
Hearing her name calls her attention back to Ryoko.  
  
"I just wanted to say congratulations on your victory with love."  
  
Ryoko phases into her clothing and quietly exits the onsen, Ayeka watching her departure. * What was that supposed to mean? *  
  
Thinking nothing much of what Ryoko last commented on, Ayeka began to ponder about another problem that she had that just didn't want to go away.  
  
* I have to confront Voog, that's the only way these feelings of hatred will go away. But how can I face him, he was too powerful for me. There has to be a way for me to exceed my power further. There just has to be. *  
  
************************************  
  
Two large doors swing open, inside the room is a large room. Guards are posted outside the doors, as well as inside. The two warriors who are making their return enter into the throne room. Both walking at brisk pace, in fear of upsetting the emperor. Both warriors kneel before him.  
  
"Both of you have returned sooner than expected. Did you find Daimyo's body?"  
  
Voog swallowed hard fearing the emperor's rage upon hearing his answer. "We were attacked before we could follow through the gate my lord."  
  
The emperor slammed his fist down onto his throne emitting an echo throughout the castle. "You What?! By whom?"  
  
"Mireya my lord." Botaro replied.  
  
"Damn that witch! Will she never die! Are you telling me that you, one of my best generals and my own son were unable to take care of one WOMAN!?"  
  
Voog raised his head to answer. "She was not alone my lord. After I opened the portal she attacked and was able to make it through the portal."  
  
"Silence!"  
  
A moment of silence passes, both warriors have their heads downcast, unable to see the emperor. The chilling sound of the emperor's fingers tapping on the armrest of his throne was the only sound being made. The two facing the emperor were both sure that any second they would be dead.  
  
"Under normal circumstances you two would be taken into the dungeon and tortured to death for your failure. But if Mireya went through the gate, she is now in company with the brothers of legend."  
  
Both warriors raise their heads to face the emperor at the mention of the legend.  
  
"The Hawk of Legend is with Daimyo?" Botaro asked his father.  
  
"I was informed by one of the gods of this. So, I'm allowing both of you to live, I need all my strongest warriors. But fail me again and you won't live long enough to regret it. Now get out of my sight."  
  
The two warriors rise and turn to exit the throne room. The emperor rests his chin on his left hand, appearing to be in deep thought.  
  
* Their both together now, the legend is coming to pass. So how will I fight both of them off? *  
  
***********************************  
  
A yawn escaped from the mouth of a small loving child of the house of Masaki. Another day had passed of cooking and cleaning to show the appreciation to the rest of the house of how happy she was to be there. For now the chores had been done and the meals eaten for the day, now it was time to get some rest to be prepared for tomorrow's activities.  
Ryo-ohki, who was being carried by Sasami, gently meowed as if to ask if it was time to go to bed. Sasami looked down to Ryo-ohki, smiling at the cabbit who seemed to adore being with her, nodded her head.  
  
"Ok Ryo-ohki we're going to go to bed now."  
  
The small cabbit nudged her head into Sasami's stomach pressing her head gently to give the girl a cabbit version of a hug.  
  
"Are you calling it a night Sasami?" A familiar voice came from nowhere.  
  
Hearing the voice come from above her, Sasami's gaze drifted up to the ceiling and saw a few spots of a blue and yellow striped dress hanging over the edge of the beam. The figure on the beam rolls onto her side to see Sasami better. Sasami saw that it was Ryoko on her favorite perching spot in the living room, resting her head onto the palm of her hand.  
  
"There you are Ryoko, I didn't see you up there. Yes, I'm going to go to bed now, starting to get tired."  
  
"Would you mind if I tucked you in tonight?"  
  
"Uh. . . .If you want to, I guess."  
  
Ryoko disappears from the beam and phases into existence on the ground in front of Sasami. She places her hand on the child's head and gently rubs her hair.  
  
"You know Sasami, you are a special kid, don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise."  
  
"I think you're a special person too Ryoko. Ryoko . . . .is there anything wrong?" The small princess asked unsure of Ryoko's present behavior.  
  
"No Sasami, everything is going to be the way it should be."  
  
Ryoko extends her hand out for Sasami to take hold of hers. Which Sasami took hold of and together they began the walk to Sasami and Ayeka's bedroom. During the walk up the stairs they both look at each other and smile. But there was a question in Sasami's mind that needed to be asked.  
  
"Ryoko?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Why did you want to tuck me in tonight? I'm not saying that I don't want you to, it's just that. .you've never wanted to before."  
  
"I guess I just thought that I don't appreciate you enough as I should. And to be honest I've sort of thought of you as a little sister. I mean if I had a little sister, I'd want it to be you."  
  
Sasami looked at her with wondering eyes. "Well we could be sisters."  
  
"We could?" Ryoko asked a little confused.  
  
Sasami nodded in reply. "Yes, we could just pretend that we're sisters, who says we can't think of each other as sisters."  
  
"I think Ayeka may have some trouble with us pretending to be sisters."  
  
"I'll talk to Ayeka if you want, I'm sure she wouldn't mind."  
  
They stop when they reach the front door to Sasami's room. Ryoko kneels down to Sasami's level and hugs her.  
  
"Sasami your too nice to me."  
  
"Are you going to come in?"  
  
"I don't think I will, I think your sister is already in there, so I'll say goodnight here. Goodnight my little sister."  
  
Sasami giggles. "Goodnight my big sister Ryoko." She said hugging the former space pirate.  
  
After they separate from the huge, Sasami notices a tear falling down Ryoko's left cheek.  
  
"Ryoko, what's wrong?" Sasami's voice filled with concern.  
  
"It's just so good to hear someone accepts me as family, even though I'm not by blood. Sweet dreams Sasami."  
  
"Goodnight Ryoko."  
  
************************************************  
  
It started as a rumble, reminiscent of the shifting of the earth's crust in preparation of a major disaster. It grew louder as it rose to the surface, gaining in intensity, in volume. When it finally burst forth the rumble had become a roar, the roar of ultimate despair.  
  
NO!!!!!...  
  
He held her closely, staring into her face, the perfect face that he had watched and longed after for so long. The moonlight traced out the features that had been so lovingly carved into his soul. It was this night, the night that he had waited for, for so long, the night that he was going to say it, he was going to tell her something, that he loved her. He found her like this, lying alone in the middle of the fields, her blood pouring from the wound in her chest, staining her clothing, staining the shirt that he had picked out especially for this night, this night of nights.  
  
This couldn't have happened, how could it have happened, it couldn't be true. He held her closely, cradling her head, trying to staunch the life- blood that was spilling onto the verdant grass, on this beautiful, horrible night.  
  
"I'll go get..." He said, starting to stand.  
  
"No," came the weak voice from the woman he held protectively in his arms,  
  
"Don't leave me, please. It is already too late."  
  
He sank back down, unbelieving, unable to believe that this was happening.  
  
"What can I do?" he demanded of the uncaring stars overhead, "What can I do?" He asked the dying woman, the woman he loved, lying in his arms. Her face was calm, almost serene, and she had accepted what he still denied.  
  
"Sing to me," she smiled weakly, "Sing the song that your mother sang to you when you were little."  
  
His eyes filled with anguished tears, another woman that he loved, dying, and he couldn't save her. He cleared his throat, several times, and then began to sing in a soft, mellow baritone. His eyes locked with those of his love as he recreated the words his mother had taught him so long ago.  
  
Sleep sweetly, my darling, may the wind bring you away...  
  
To fields unending of flowers so sweet.  
  
Rest gently, my angel, may the trees cradle you...  
  
And sing to you softly of unending days.  
  
Of love and laughter and there will I be...  
  
To carry you back from the arms of the trees.  
  
To bring the wind round to carry you home.  
  
Home now, my love, forever will stay...  
  
Where I can hold you and take you away.  
  
To fields unending of flowers so sweet.  
  
He came to a ragged ending, the words torn from his throat with a sob and a gasp.  
  
And the dying woman, his love, his all, reached up her hand to gently touch his face. Then she stopped and looked confused, her serenity was gone.  
  
"What...what happened?" she coughed weakly. "How did this happen?"  
  
"I don't know," he told her brokenly, "I don't know."  
  
"Tenchi," she grabbed blindly at his hands, "Tenchi, I'm frightened."  
  
"I'm here, don't be frightened." Tenchi said. "Oh god, how could this happen!" He again cried at the uncaring stars. He looked back down at the woman in his arms, "I was going to tell you... I was going to tell you tonight."  
  
"I love you, too." She whispered, "Oh, it hurts, it hurts, Tenchi."  
  
He started to rock her back and forth gently.  
  
And we'll play in the wind as it whips cross our feet... He continued the lullaby, and her eyes fastened to his face as he gave all the comfort he could to her last moments.  
  
Forever together, forever my dear...  
  
I'll be here for you, I will always be near...  
  
To carry you back from the arms of the trees.  
  
To bring the wind round to carry you home.  
  
He finished the lullaby and looked down at the woman lying still in his arms, her eyes fastened to his face. "My love?" He shook her gently. "My angel!"  
  
He cried. She didn't move; her flame, her soul, had been taken on the wind. He mechanically laid her gently on the ground and folded her arms across her chest, no longer to rise with the breath of life. He kissed her gently on the lips. "I will love you forever." Then reached out one hand and gently closed her eyes.  
  
It was too little...too late....  
  
It started as a rumble, reminiscent of the shifting of the earth's crust in preparation of a major disaster. It grew louder as it rose to the surface, gaining in intensity, in volume. When it finally burst forth the rumble had become a roar, the roar of ultimate despair.  
  
NO!!!!!  
  
"Wake up wimp."  
  
Tenchi awoke in his bed, sweating from the nightmare he was having. Daimyo stood next to his bed clothed and ready to go start training. Tenchi looked out his window and saw the stars were still out, another early day.  
  
"You're going to have to take training more seriously Tenchi. If I was an enemy I would have been able to kill you. Then who would have protected the women of the house?"  
  
"Daimyo there aren't any enemies here, so we don't have to constantly be on guard." Tenchi replied groggily.  
  
"That may or may not be true, but as long as I'm here, you're going to be on your guard. So get dressed and met me up at the training ground."  
  
As Daimyo leaves his room, Tenchi rubs his face to wake up better. * Why am I blessed with finding the best people from other planets? * He wondered to himself getting up to get to his clothing drawer.  
  
Tenchi paused when he began to reflect back upon the dream that Daimyo woke him from. * What a weird dream. I don't even know who it was I was holding. I wonder what's with the weird dreams lately. It feels like I'm loosing the girls, somehow. The other day it was a weird dream with everyone in it, even scarier with the parts with Ryoko. Oh, that reminds me, I'm going to be nice to Ryoko today, she looked like something was troubling her the other day. *  
  
Tenchi cleared his mind of the thoughts of the events from the past couple of days. Seeing that the sun's light was making it's way up over the mountain, he knew he needed to hurry to the training ground. Knowing how strict his grandfather was about his practice, he figured Daimyo would be twice as bad.  
  
***************************************  
  
The room was massively enormous, even though it had an overwhelming size, it was well lit. There was also very little sound, the only sources of sound was the bubbles from the aquatic life contained in some tanks and the keying of fingers hitting a transparent keypad.  
The scientist of the household was working early to what most people perceive. But to this genius, it was a normal hour to work. She was busy working on calculating the precise mass of a planet revolving around two suns and a black hole near that planets space. She was so drawn into her research; she failed to hear someone materializing in the doorway to the lab. It wasn't until a voice distracting her that she realized that someone else was with her.  
  
"Don't you ever sleep?"  
  
The scientist stopped typing and turned, shocked that she had failed to notice another presence in her lab. She looked to see that it was. . .  
  
"Ryoko. I didn't hear you come in. Isn't it a little early for you to be up, you usually sleep in late."  
  
"I couldn't sleep. Don't you ever sleep?" She asked, repeating her question.  
  
"A genius who wants to stay ahead of everyone else never sleeps. Well, that much anyway."  
  
Washu turns back to her computer and types some more. "So what do you need?" Knowing that Ryoko was most likely going to ask her for another favor. That's the only reason anyone ever comes to see her.  
  
"I don't need anything. I just wanted to see you."  
  
Washu immediately stopped her typing and let the computer vanish from sight. She turned around to face her daughter and try to understand this new turn of events. "You just wanted to see me?" She restated in disbelief.  
  
"Yeah, there isn't a crime in that is there?" Ryoko asked sarcastically.  
  
"So what did you want to talk about?" The scientist asked.  
  
"I didn't have anything in particular to talk about. I guess I came down there to say thank you."  
  
"Thank me? For what?"  
  
"Well. . .everything. I know I never really showed it, but I appreciate everything you've done for me. You've done your best to be a good mother and I wanted to thank you."  
  
Washu felt as though she was made of stone. She felt like she couldn't move from the shock that was being rubbed into her face all at once. Had she fallen asleep and she would wake up any moment to find that sadly it was only a dream.  
  
* Whatever gods there are in this universe, this had better not be a dream. *  
  
"Y. .you think I'm a good. . .mother."  
  
Ryoko slightly tilted her head to her right. "I understand that it wasn't your fault for what happened to us early on. I just want you to know that I don't blame you for anything that happened. And I just want to say that I love you mom."  
  
Washu covered her mouth as tears formed in her eyes. So long, she has waited to hear those words from her daughter, to know she finally acknowledged her as her mother. Joy was now overwhelming her sensations. Washu changed out of her child form into a more adult Washu. She stood and with teary eyes, walked over to Ryoko and embraced her.  
Washu placed her head down onto Ryoko's shoulder and let the tears of joy flow. For the first time in ages, Washu's heart beat feeling complete. . .whole. She felt Ryoko place a comforting hand on her back, returning her hug. She had no clue as to why Ryoko suddenly was poring her heart out to her, but she wasn't about to ruin their chances by asking. Washu wiped her tears from her face, taking a couple of steps back to look at her daughter.  
  
"Ryoko, I want you to know that I'm proud of you. No matter whatever happens between us, I will always love you."  
  
"Thanks mom." She returned smiling to her mother. "I'm going to go back to the house now, I'll let you get back to work."  
  
"You could stay if you want. I wouldn't mind." Washu said, wanting to continue the moment a little longer.  
  
"No, I have something I have to do right now. I'll see you later, I promise."  
  
"Alright."  
  
Washu took her seat and called up her computer once more. Ryoko floated over to the exit of the lab. Hearing the typing of her creator's fingers, Ryoko turns around and looks at Washu for another second, then dematerializes from the lab.  
After Ryoko leaves, Washu begins to wonder again why suddenly she seemed to act differently. She could have searched through her head, but she wanted to trust Ryoko. Or maybe, she thought, she was afraid that Ryoko was after something and just didn't want to risk seeing that.  
  
*************************************  
It was a clear blue morning sky, the sun had peaked out from behind the mountains thirty minutes ago. It appeared that it was going to be another beautiful spring season in Okayama Japan, the leaves of the trees were growing out in full bloom. Tenchi was able to register this into his head from his current view. He had the perfect position to see all of this from lying on the ground on his back, where Daimyo had just sent him crashing down to.  
  
"I thought there was actually some hope for you. But apparently, my expectations over exceeded reality." Daimyo mocked standing over his fallen pupil.  
  
"I actually thought I saw some hidden power deep within you a couple of days ago. But maybe it was just the sun in my eyes." He explained, while Tenchi stood back up.  
  
"I can see that the couple of days we took a break from have seriously depleted your fighting ability. So were going to be out here for a few more hours and try to play catch up. Now pick up your little flash light and try to attack me again." He ordered, referring to the Tenchi-ken.  
  
Tenchi bent over and picked up the Tenchi-ken that was lying on the ground beside him from where he landed. He grasped the master key with both hands and brought it out in front of him. He let the Jurai energy in his blood flow through him and into the master key, igniting the blade.  
Daimyo stood firmly where he was at, like the battle-hardened warrior he was forged into during his life. Showing now sign of fear or doubt in his face he stood awaiting Tenchi's move.  
  
* Now, how's the best way to attack him? * Tenchi pondered to himself.  
  
Tenchi began a charge heading straight toward Daimyo. The Tenchi-ken carried beside Tenchi's running body, at striking position.  
  
* How foolish, a head on charge. Might as well walk up to me with his arms tied behind his back. *  
  
To Daimyo's surprise Tenchi leapt into the air, looking to land behind Daimyo.  
  
* Ah. So he is a little creative after all. * He thought turning to catch Tenchi during his landing.  
  
But Tenchi had a different plan in mind. After turning over from the flip, his legs found the branch he was aiming for. Pushing off the branch he launched himself in the opposite direction that he was going to land.  
Seeing that Tenchi wasn't coming into his sight when he had turned his head, Daimyo glanced back up and saw Tenchi about to land in front of him.  
  
* Very clever. *  
  
Tenchi landed in front of Daimyo and saw his counter attack coming. He flipped into the air avoiding, Daimyo's leg sweep, and landed back behind Daimyo. Daimyo followed completely through with his leg sweep and caught Tenchi's landing behind him.  
Tenchi saw the earth stop when he landed, but almost immediately after landing the view went sideways. Then Tenchi was seeing the sky from a different location on his back again. Then he saw Daimyo come into view above him, he looked down at him.  
  
"That was stupid, creative, but very stupid. Easily countered, as you so clearly demonstrated."  
  
"Why don't you fight someone stronger than you?" A voice rang out.  
  
Both Tenchi and Daimyo looked to see Ryoko a few feet away from the two of them. To both their surprises Ryoko was dressed in her black and red battle suit. A slight breeze passed, causing the cyan haired beauty's hair to wave slightly in the wind. The sun glistening her yellow feline- like eyes to the fullest brightness her eyes seemed to be able to obtain.  
  
"Well I would if I could Ryoko, but I still have yet to find someone that was my equal."  
  
"I'm your equal and more."  
  
Daimyo's response was a laugh. "You. My equal and more, huh? Funny, you didn't seem to be anywhere near being my equal when I first arrived here."  
  
"That was five weeks ago, I've gotten stronger. Or. . . you've just gotten weaker."  
  
"If you're implying that you want to fight me, just say it."  
  
"Alright then." Ryoko extends her arm, pointing to Daimyo. "Daimyo, I challenge you to a fight, the winner is the strongest fighter."  
  
"I accept your challenge. Only on one condition."  
  
"That is?"  
  
"During the fight, you stay on the ground. I can't fly."  
  
"It's asking a lot, but fine, I won't need to fly in order to defeat you."  
  
"So did you just want to fight me now, or wait until later?"  
  
"I don't really have anything to do now."  
  
"Very well then, but don't expect me to go easy on you because you're a woman."  
  
Ryoko just grins. * Good, he's overconfident. That will be his downfall. *  
  
*What is she thinking? What gives her the idea that she's capable of beating me? * Daimyo shakes the thoughts out of his head and concentrates on the duel that's about to unfold.  
Tenchi was standing off to the side of the two that were about to begin fighting each other, wondering what Ryoko was trying to prove.  
  
* What is she doing? She knows perfectly well how strong Daimyo is. When he first came here, Ryoko went down onto her knees in one punch. He even withstood holding the Tenchi-ken and didn't show any sign of pain in his face. I hope she doesn't end up getting herself hurt. *  
  
Both fighters are within a respectful distance of one another. Both refrain from taking any traditional fighting stances, they stand looking like they were about to draw their guns in an old western showdown. A slight breeze rustled up some dried leaves that were on the ground adding to the showdown atmosphere that had descended upon the training area. Tenchi was unsure whether he should be hiding behind something to shield himself from an energy blast or just stay in the spot he was at to witness the fight. Tenchi wasn't sure if she wanted to make the first move or just got tired of waiting, but Ryoko flew toward Daimyo, speeding a couple of inches off of the ground.  
  
* I guess Ryoko is going to keep the fight as fair as she can. * Tenchi thought to himself.  
  
Ryoko ignites her sword and swings a wild swipe at Daimyo. He grabs the blade, like he did the day Ryoko picked a fight when he first arrived. A sudden sharp pain registering into Daimyo's brain causes him to release the sword. A slight cut trailed across his palm, a little blood appearing from the tear.  
  
"What the. . ." Daimyo said to himself in confusion.  
  
* How can she have cut me? She couldn't cut me when I first arrived here. I had better keep her sword away from me. *  
  
Before he could continue on with his thoughts, he concentrated on the fight at hand. Ryoko smiled at him, seeing that she was able to inflict a little pain on him.  
  
"Is there something wrong Daimyo?" She taunted, knowing that she was able to hurt him.  
  
Looking at the marks that Ryoko was able to scratch onto his hands, he felt a determination to defeat her grow. He realized that this wasn't going to be just a slight pushover, but he was actually going to have to try hard to beat her. He didn't know how she had done this, but he was going to prove that he had no equal.  
  
"No Ryoko. Nothing's wrong at all."  
  
Feeling that it was her que, Ryoko rushed toward Daimyo to initiate their symphony of struggle once again. With sword burning it's brilliant red Ryoko swiped at Daimyo, who ducked and countered with a rising upper cut that connected to her chin. Such a hit would have knocked out the strongest boxer on earth, but Ryoko was far more powerful. With her body flying to land on her back, she used the position to throw an over the head kick that connected with Daimyo's face.  
Having her feet reconnect to the earth, Ryoko sees that Daimyo is still standing. Seeing Ryoko land back onto the ground so gracefully, Daimyo wonders if she is more feline than he though. After all he had heard the expression of cats always land on their feet.  
  
* I shouldn't have swung at him so aimlessly, that move left me wide open for his counter. * Ryoko mentally scorned herself.  
  
"Your definitely a skilled fighter Ryoko, a worthy opponent. But I have fought better warriors and emerged victorious."  
  
"You know what I'm going to enjoy most about beating you? After I defeat you, maybe you'll stop gloating over yourself and finally shut up." She taunted with a grin that barred her fangs.  
  
"So do you want to stand here and talk all morning, or are you going to back up your threats?"  
  
Ryoko charged her blade to live again, positioning her arm to the side, allowing Daimyo to see the length of her blade. Pushing off from her spot with great strength launched her straight toward Daimyo. Her charging cry, was encouraging to make anyone want to fight to their last breath.  
  
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"  
  
Ryoko completes her charge with a decapitating swing at Daimyo once again. He ducks down to avoid her swing.  
  
* How disappointing, I figured she would have learned from her mistakes. Leaving herself wide open again. * The thoughts quickly entered Daimyo's mind.  
Daimyo pushes from his crotched position to put Ryoko down onto her back. But Ryoko apparently does learn from mistakes, she completes the swing, looping it back up over her head and bringing it down into Daimyo's charging face.  
Daimyo grabs Ryoko's sword with both hands, preventing it from connecting with his head. However with Ryoko's training, her blade brings pain to Daimyo's hands with her heightened power. Both push into current stalemate attempting to overpower the other.  
  
"Give it up Daimyo. I've gotten a lot stronger since we last fought."  
  
"Really. . .I didn't notice." He retorted.  
  
Daimyo trip kicks Ryoko with his right leg, catching the pirate off guard. Ryoko let's out a gasp of surprise as her legs give way from beneath her. Then Daimyo finishes his counter attack with a superhuman punch to Ryoko's side, deflecting her body from hitting the ground, sending her slamming into a nearby tree.  
When Ryoko reassesses her situation in the battle, she notices Daimyo isn't giving her any slack, seeing as how he was rushing her to finish what he was starting. Quickly getting back up, she backed herself up against the tree. Daimyo runs as quickly as he can, knowing that he couldn't give Ryoko any foothold in the battle. Judging the distance perfectly, Daimyo jumps to deliver a flying kick to the pirate's midsection.  
Ryoko phases though the tree before Daimyo connects. Daimyo's foot leaves an imprint in the tree, shaking the foundation of the strong sycamore. Leaves fall from the tree, due to the sudden impact that injured the tree.  
Quickly scanning his surroundings to find his disappeared opponent, Daimyo listens closely to any noise that he can pick up to determine where she was. Hearing the leaves of the tree suddenly stirring above him, he immediately jump rolled to the side. Avoiding a death strike from the pouncing Ryoko's energy saber. Seeing as the sword only connected with the earth, Ryoko throws the blade at Daimyo. Watching the energy flying toward him, he smacks it away, allowing it to destroy a nearby tree.  
  
******************************  
  
With an echo of an explosion from the training ground broke Sasami's concentration of preparing breakfast. She was in the process of preparing another squid for Daimyo. Seeing as how she had gotten revenge on him for treating her badly, she was sorry for tricking him like that. At the time it was definitely called for, but she liked him and wanted him to like her.  
  
The thoughts in her mind that she was perhaps too young to understand love were still there. But from what she did understand about what love feels like, she felt she was in love.  
Pulling the squid off of the burner of the stove, so as not to overcook, she figured that she could leave everything as it is now for a few moments to see what was going on at the training ground. Sensing that Sasami was going somewhere, Ryo-ohki, who had just finished eating a carrot that the kind princess let her eat, hopped and meowed after her.  
  
"I hope those two aren't going to get themselves hurt."  
  
"Miya." Ryo-ohki responded.  
  
**************************  
  
The morning was turning out to be more challenging than Daimyo thought it was going to be. After regaining himself after a knee to the stomach and a well-placed right hook to the face from Ryoko, it was more challenging than expected.  
  
* How has she become so much stronger in just a few weeks? Just when I thought I had these people figured for weaklings, something comes along and surprises me. *  
  
"I'd give you a chance to give up now Daimyo, but I want to beat you in a fight, to prove who is the stronger." Ryoko taunted.  
  
"I don't give up Ryoko, you'd have to kill me in order to beat me."  
  
"Have it your way then."  
  
Ryoko launches another laser assault at Daimyo, who dodges the blasts by leaping out of the way. With all his combat training, Daimyo makes his way closer to Ryoko. A smile came to her face as she thought that would have been what she would do. Each shot she fired, brought him closer to her. He was still steadily making his way in toward her.  
Seeing that she wasn't getting anywhere by shooting at him, she charged her sword to life once again. She charged toward him, meeting his speed, not letting herself have any disadvantage.  
The seconds seemed to slow for both fighters, the final few steps toward the other played in slow motion for the two. Ryoko bringing her sword ready for a swipe, Daimyo's fists balled up and turned upright at his sides, ready to deliver the final blow.  
A swipe and punch are thrown. Ryoko rips Daimyo's shirt with her sword, while Daimyo's fist connects to Ryoko's jaw. Both fighters hit the ground, the last attacks was enough to bring pause to the fight. Ryoko, who had stumbled a little before falling onto her left side, began rubbing her jaw.  
  
* Wow, he can really connect a punch. I had better get back up, don't want to give him the advantage. *  
  
Daimyo, who had crouched down from the burning pain in his side from Ryoko's cut into his shirt, noticed that her strike had drawn some blood.  
  
* How is she able to cut me now? It doesn't make any sense, how can this be?! *  
  
Daimyo's thoughts seemed to be consumed with wonder on how this woman had progressed so far in such little time. Upon getting back to his feet, he notices that Ryoko is nowhere in sight. Instinctively taking a defensive position he waited for Ryoko to make whatever move she had planned. A pair of golden feline-like eyes watched Daimyo from the tree line that was giving the observer safety for the time being. When Daimyo wasn't looking she teleported herself into the brush in the woods around the training area. Ryoko was watching and developing a plan of attack that would end the fight.  
  
* It'll be a dirty cheap shot, but it'll end the fight sometime today. *  
  
Ryoko's form fades for an instant, as she splits into two beings. The two Ryoko's check past the tree they had taken refuge from Daimyo to see if he knew where they were. He was still at the ready for an attack from Ryoko.  
  
"What's the matter Ryoko, are you giving up? If not, then come out so we can finish our fight, don't be a coward."  
  
Both Ryoko's seemed to be slightly agitated by his comment. "You know what to do." One Ryoko said quietly to the other. The others reply was a simple nod.  
  
"Alright here we go."  
  
The Ryoko on the left side of the tree teleported out of sight, preparing to make her move. Daimyo, sensing a disturbance in the air around him, turned to see Ryoko coming into existence just a foot away from him with sword burning. Ryoko was on the attack making slash attacks at Daimyo, who was jumping back and to the side to avoid her swings.  
Daimyo watched as Ryoko attempted to try to scratch him with her sword strikes, but he had had more than enough battles in his existence to be able to dodge strikes from well-trained fighters. Ryoko wasn't turning out to be the average fighter, even though he made it look like he was toying with her, she was really good. He was having to put his total concentration onto her every move.  
Daimyo caught her sword hand as she was making another swipe at him, then immediately having to block and hold the other hand when she tried to punch him. Having her hands out of his way, he pulled her toward him and connected a hard-hitting head butt to Ryoko. Who in return gave a knee into his crotch, causing him to bend down from the sudden pain, in turn he used his position to tackle Ryoko to the ground.  
  
Having pinned Ryoko on the ground Daimyo attempted to claim victory. "Yield Ryoko."  
  
"Not just yet." She replied with a sarcastic look on her face.  
  
"Your pinned down, you. .Uuhh!" Was all he could get out before feeling a kick to the back of the head.  
  
The force of the blow was enough to throw him a couple of feet from where Ryoko was. Coming to a landing face down into the dirt made him wonder who interfered with the fight.  
A foot forcibly turned him over on the ground, he was able to look up at his assailant who snuck up from behind. But he was puzzled to see Ryoko standing above him, raising her sword over her head preparing to bring it down upon him.  
  
* If that thing can cut me know, this is going to kill me! * He thought nervously.  
  
Ryoko thrusts the sword down, Daimyo closes his eyes, awaiting to see what lies beyond this life. A second passes and there is still no pain, but he can still feel his body, so he knew she didn't kill him. Opening his eyes, he sees Ryoko stopped her sword a foot from his face. She was standing there smiling down at him, allowing him to know that he was defeated.  
  
"How did you kick me off of you with such force when I had you pinned down?!" He demanded.  
  
Suddenly another Ryoko walks over with dirt on her red and black battle suit. Seeing the second one covered in dirt, Daimyo looks at the one with the sword stuck at his face to see there wasn't as much dirt on her as the other.  
  
"What the. . .This is cheating, that wasn't fair."  
  
"What's wrong Daimyo were two inferior women fighters to much for you? I figured you being so good at battle could take on two women at once." She gloated.  
  
"But I didn't know you could duplicate yourself like this, so I wasn't prepared for it."  
  
"I've watched Tenchi's grandfather training him long enough to know what he would say to reply to that. I believe he would most likely would say "A warrior should always be prepared for the enemy sneaking up behind him."  
  
Batting Ryoko's foot off of his chest, signaling that he was going to get up, Daimyo stood up looking like he was going to pop. With a look of mixed emotions plastered on his face, mainly hatred, looking at Ryoko, one could see he was gritting his teeth and fists balled up to his sides. Suddenly looking toward Tenchi who had watched the fight from the side the whole time.  
  
"Masaki!" He said seriously enough to snap Tenchi's head up to attention. "Your training is done for today." Finishing his pupil's dismissal order, without saying or doing anything else, Daimyo walks off down the stairs from the training area.  
Walking down the stair well Daimyo's world felt like it was turned upside down. Never in his life has he ever been beaten in a fight, he couldn't understand what has happened. Thoughts tore through his mind on what he did wrong to lose the fight, but he couldn't think of any excuse. Then he concentrated on one thing that had found it's way into his train of thought.  
  
* I've gotten stronger, or maybe you've just gotten weaker. *  
  
The taunt Ryoko made at the beginning of the fight seemed to offer the answer to the question that was currently burning his mind. Ryoko had indeed become more powerful since when he first arrived. It was the second part of her taunt that sent chills down his spine, could he have gotten weaker. On Draka every day was a struggle to survive, one had to constantly be on guard in order to live as long as he has. Maybe he could have possibly could have lost a little bit of his edge, but not this much.  
Walking up the stairs with Ryo-ohki perched on top of her head, Sasami saw Daimyo walking down the stair toward her.  
  
* I guess this means Daimyo and Tenchi are finishing early to have breakfast, it's better than them eating around lunchtime. * Sasami thought to herself.  
  
"Hey Daimyo I was just coming up to tell you all that. . ."  
  
Sasami paused in her sentence when she noticed he had a couple of scratches on his body. There were slight traces of blood visible through the ripped clothing but it didn't look serious. When he walked by he had his eye's closed and head turned away from her. She noticed that when she started talking to him his face was full of shame before he turned away from her view.  
  
"Daimyo what's wrong? What happened?" She asked.  
  
Daimyo's only response was to keep walking. He didn't flinch or make any change in his walk when she tried to see what was wrong. Watching him continue down the stairs, concern seemed to wash upon her.  
  
* What's wrong? *  
  
********************************************  
  
"Ryoko what made you want to fight him?" Tenchi asked.  
  
"I just wanted to see if I could beat that loudmouthed jerk."  
  
"How did you manage to defeat him? I remember how things went the last time you tried to fight him when he first came here. I've fought him and found him really formidable."  
  
"I guess I've just been working out more." She answered with a sly smile.  
  
"Hahahaha, well whatever it is you did it seems to have helped you become stronger. I don't know about you, but I'm famished. I think Sasami should be finished with breakfast soon, you know how she gets when we miss a meal."  
  
"Mm, yeah I know how she gets, a warm meal sounds good right now. I'll see you down there then." She finished fading from sight.  
  
Tenchi was a little surprised that she didn't want to walk back to the house with him. To at least talk to him about whatever would be on her mind. It was completely unlike her not to want to be around him. A feeling in his stomach other than hunger seemed to be making its presence known. It felt like concern, maybe fear.  
  
* Why do I feel like I'm beginning to loose them. * Tenchi thought to himself as he started the journey down the stairwell.  
  
*********************************************  
  
Back at the house in Ayeka and Sasami's room, Ayeka sat alone in the room trying to figure out how to get rid of her demons. From the horrible sights she took in on Draka, the experiences there plagued her soul. The horrible sight of the bodies that were mutilated from the old battlefield she saw on her first night there. To killing the soldiers that tried to attack her, she didn't like killing the soldiers, but in a way it was good. Killing the soldiers made her feel good, she wasn't the helpless princess during those moments, she was a person to be feared. But the one person who didn't fear her in those moments is the one that plagued her soul the most, the one demon she feared she would never forget.  
  
"Voog. . . . ." She said quietly to herself.  
  
She would have to face her demon to get rid of him from her being. But how could she, she was completely powerless to stand against him. Remembering how he was able to hold her down with his magic while he. . .  
Ayeka changed her train of thought, not wanting to recall any of those moments in that cell hall. She would need to have greater power than her own to even be able to move against Voog, more or less punish him. But how was she to. . .  
  
An idea entered Ayeka's mind, she could be able to receive more power. * Of course, why didn't I think of this sooner? I will have to leave immediately. *  
  
"I will be able to get my revenge onto you Voog, you will pay dearly for what you have done to me." She said to herself with a smile appearing on her face.  
  
***********************************************  
  
"Daimyo what's wrong? Please tell me."  
  
Sasami had been asking him what was troubling him since she returned back to the house. He still couldn't admit it to himself that he was defeated in a fight, more or less tell anyone else about it.  
  
"I'm just having a bad day Sasami, that's all."  
  
"Well maybe I could cook up something special for you for lunch. Anything you want. I fixed you some squid for breakfast, I promise I didn't burn it this time."  
  
Sasami's joke managed to bring a slight smile to his face. "Thank you for thinking about feeding me well Sasami, you really are too kind."  
  
"It would be no trouble at all Daimyo, I'd do anything for you."  
  
Sasami rose from the couch beside him and headed for the kitchen, trying to hide the blush that was covering her face. She didn't like seeing people sad, especially people she believed she was in love with. The thought of her cheering Daimyo up was making the blush stay longer onto her face.  
As Sasami left the room, Daimyo couldn't help but smile a little. Sasami seemed to want to go out of the way to help him feel better, but it seemed the only way for him to feel better was to travel back in time to the fight so he could change the outcome of the fight. It still seemed to be impossible for him to have been defeated in a fight.  
  
* At least it can't get any worse. * He thought to himself.  
  
"Hey Daimyo, I heard you got beaten by that girl." Mireya said entering the room.  
  
Daimyo face vaults onto the living room floor. "Oh, I hate today." He says from the floor.  
  
Just then Ayeka comes walking down the stairs. Mireya, noticing Ayeka coming, walks over to greet her at the bottom of the stairwell.  
  
"Good morning my love, did you sleep well?" She asked running her hand around Ayeka's head to clear any stray hairs off of her face.  
  
"Yes, I slept well and you?"  
  
Mireya nods. "Yes it's very comfortable here. There seems to be no danger here, which is a little different for me." She grabs Ayeka's hands and holds them in her's. "But as long as I'm here with you Ae, I can't have any complaints."  
  
Ayeka smiles at her friend's affection for her well-being. Mireya seems to be the one true friend she has ever had that wasn't family. There was something about the woman's presence that gave her comfort.  
  
"Good morning Ayeka." Tenchi greeted walking into the room.  
  
"Good morning Lord Tenchi." Ayeka replied pulling her hands away from Mireya quickly so Tenchi would not see.  
  
Mireya felt heartbroken, she wanted to be with her, but Ayeka had told her about Tenchi on their travel to the gate to get her back home. The description of her home that didn't settle well with Mireya was the fact that Tenchi held her heart, when Mireya wanted to share her heart with Ayeka's.  
  
"I'll. . .I'll go see if Sasami needs help with anything in the kitchen."  
  
Saying a good enough excuse to leave her and Tenchi alone, Mireya walked away keeping her face from looking into Tenchi's direction. In fear that she may hit him if she saw him at the moment, she took Daimyo's hand and dragged him into the kitchen.  
  
"So how are you today Ayeka?" Tenchi inquired.  
  
"I'm feeling fine Tenchi, I slept well last night."  
  
"I'm glad you're feeling alright, we were so worried about you when you weren't here." He said placing his hand on her shoulder.  
  
She moved her shoulder from his grasp suddenly. "I'm sorry that I worried everyone, but as you can see I'm fine." She said faking a smile.  
  
"Uh, yes you're fine." He said unsure if she was being honest or not.  
  
"Tenchi I think you should know first that I've decided to leave today."  
  
Tenchi seemed to stop entirely and almost turn white. "Leave. . . ." He said in disbelief.  
  
"Yes, there's something that I have to do back on Jurai, something I have to do myself."  
  
"But you can't leave you just got back." He said trying to get her to stay.  
  
"I'm sorry Lord Tenchi, but I must go to Jurai. You can simply wait."  
  
"So you will be coming back?" He questioned.  
  
"Yes, of course I'll return Tenchi. I like staying here, I should be gone for a few days."  
  
"Well. . ok, so when were you going to leave?"  
  
"I though I could leave in a couple of hours. I was going to ask Miss Mihoshi to take me back home, since I cannot use Ryo-oh for some time now."  
  
"Alright." He replied. He thought that since she said she would return that it would be ok for her to go. At least none of the others were leaving; he at least still had them.  
  
"Now if you'll excuse me Lord Tenchi." She finished walking toward the kitchen.  
  
In the kitchen, Mihoshi was at the table telling everyone that the food Sasami cooked here was so much better than the junk food she had to eat in her patrol ship. Another guest at the table that seemed to hardly attend most of the time was Washu, who looked ready to dart back into her lab from hearing one of Mihoshi's rants.  
  
"Sasami."  
  
Hearing her name she turned her head to face Ayeka. "Oh good morning Ayeka, I'll have your plate prepared in a couple of seconds."  
  
"No, that's not what I was wanting. I was coming to tell you that I will be leaving. I'm returning to Jurai."  
  
Thank you for reading this chapter of the Shogun Muyo series. The dream Tenchi has in this chapter is a short story written by the author Kyokki titled "Too Little, Too Late". She has other good works too if you would like to read more. The next chapter: The Sorrow of Doubt 


	9. The Sorrow of Doubt

I do not claim any of the Tenchi Muyo characters as my own and in no way am I profiting off of writing this story. I write this for the fun and enjoyment of it. So please resist the urge to file a lawsuit against me. Thank you.  
  
Shogun Muyo -Chapter 9- The Sorrow of Doubt  
  
The sun shone brightly around noon at the Masaki house. It had the appearance of another peaceful day in that part of the country. However one room in the house was turned upside down. Clothing and suitcases littered the room. Two individuals that occupied that room of the house were checking over everything to make sure they weren't missing something that they would need.  
  
"Ayeka."  
  
"Hmm?" She replied to her sister's call from her place in the doorway of the closet.  
  
"We're not going to be gone for too long are we?" She asked her older sister, trying to keep the sound of sadness out of her voice.  
  
Ayeka, hearing the low tone of her sister could tell that she didn't want to leave earth, looked at her sister with caring eyes. "Sasami, you don't have to go with me. You can stay if you like."  
  
Sasami shook her head. "No, I think we should visit mother and father, but. . ."  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I'm just. . .afraid that father won't let us return when we go. I really like it here, I'd stay here forever if I could."  
  
"Well we'll return, I won't let father stop us from coming back Sasami." She said with a hint of a commanding tone in her voice.  
  
Sasami's smile became as full as life with her sisters reassuring words. She grabbed onto her sister, standing there feeling her older sisters love for her in their embrace. Sasami pulls her face away from her sister's side and looks up with her sparkly pink eyes.  
  
"I love you Ayeka."  
  
Ayeka giggled slightly at her sister's affection. "And I love you too Sasami."  
  
"So have you considered what I asked you earlier Ayeka?"  
  
Ayeka winces at remembering what Sasami had asked earlier. She didn't expect her morning announcement to turn out the way it did.  
  
***************************  
  
Earlier that day. . .  
  
"I don't understand Ayeka, you just returned back to us. I thought you liked it here." Sasami said with water building in her eyes.  
  
"I do like it here Sasami. There's just something I have to do myself back home. I'll be returning soon afterwards. I should be gone for only a week. Your welcome to stay here if you wish Sasami."  
  
Sasami shakes her head. "No, I should go with you, I should see mother and father again. I'm sure they miss both of us a lot."  
  
"So you're taking off again huh?" Ryoko asked with a mischievous tone in her voice. "Well good riddance."  
  
Ayeka glared at Ryoko's rude comment. "I'm sorry, but my nose isn't used to smelling the air of a filthy, foul mouthed, unbathed, slutty whore since I've been gone for a week. The smell around here is absolutely dreadful. Come on Sasami, we need to get our things packed."  
  
Everyone was in a state of amazement at Ayeka's use of a vocabulary of words she never used. Ryoko came up with a reply when Ayeka walked out of sight.  
  
"Well for your information I bathed earlier today!"  
  
* Man, Ayeka is being a real pain today! What got shoved up her. . . . *  
  
Ryoko's train of thought was caught off when she noticed the far away look on Tenchi's face. She hadn't seen that face on him since that one night she tried to talk to him when he was looking at the stars and he said. . .her name instead. The pain of the hurt came back to her from remembering that night. The hurt from the memory was returning to her, she felt her face sadden, she didn't want it to, but it seemed she couldn't stop it from coming.  
The hurt of the thoughts coming to her mind was becoming like a rock becoming a boulder in the back of her throat. It felt like she had slipped and fell hard on her tailbone that was about the only thing she could compare the pain too. She decided to phase out of the room when she felt the first tear coming down her face. Fortunately for her pride Tenchi didn't notice the despair on her face. But someone else in the room did.  
  
"Tenchi?" The blonde haired detective asked from sipping her Miso soup.  
  
Hearing his name being beckoned turned his attention back to the room. "Yes Mihoshi?"  
  
"What's wrong with Ryoko?"  
  
"Ryoko?" Tenchi asked, just noticing that she was no longer in the room. "What makes you think there's something wrong with Ryoko?"  
  
"Well she was crying just now." She informed him, taking another sip of her soup.  
  
Hearing that Ryoko was crying wanted to make him jump out of his skin. "She was crying?" He said aloud for his brain to receive the message completely.  
  
With her mouth full Mihoshi replied with a simple nod.  
  
"I don't know what's wrong Mihoshi, but I think I should start keeping the promises I make to myself." With that Tenchi got up from the table and went to look for Ryoko.  
  
******************  
  
In Sasami and Ayeka's room, Ayeka was rummaging in the closet to get some of their luggage out to begin packing for their journey. Sasami was placing a couple of her dresses into a case when her mind began to think about the others. What they would do during their absence, how out of place everything would be, like when her sister was gone. Now she would be gone again.  
  
* But at least they will know that she is safe. So they won't be so lonely. * The thought had eased her a little. She did care about everyone else's feelings, she wanted everyone to be happy all the time.  
  
Just then, another thought entered her mind, perhaps she could make someone new in the house more happy. She was sure that her sister would agree with her in helping her cheer him up.  
  
"Hey Ayeka. I just had an idea. Why don't we take Daimyo with us? We could show him how beautiful Jurai is and that could cheer him up a lot."  
  
Ayeka merely froze in place in the doorway to the closet where she was rummaging through.  
  
"No. I won't travel with that filthy disgusting animal!" She said with her back still turned to Sasami.  
  
Sasami didn't understand why she didn't like Daimyo, she had hardly acknowledged his existence since she came back. Deciding it was best not to ask her why she didn't like him.  
  
"Well could you at least think it over for a little bit." Ayeka turned to look at her sister with a look about her face that seemed to show disgust. "Please Ayeka." Sasami pleaded with her sparkling pink eyes shinning.  
  
Ayeka turned back to the closet and let a sigh out. "I'll think about it Sasami."  
  
**************  
  
Now she found herself back to the point a couple of hours earlier she hoped wouldn't come. She knew that she would have to give Sasami a reason why she didn't want Daimyo near her. But that would mean having to let the others know what happened. She would rather die than let Tenchi and the others discover what happened. She herself didn't want to know what happened to her. She looked at Sasami, her standing there wanting the horrible creature from the god-awful planet she was on to tag along with them. She let out another sigh and closed her eyes to accept defeat.  
  
"Alright Sasami, he can come with us if he wants too."  
  
Sasami's face lit up with cheer, she would be able to spend more time with Daimyo. Also maybe Ayeka would grow to like him, for whatever reason she didn't like him unknown to her.  
  
"Oh thank you Ayeka, you're the best!" Sasami said hugging her sister.  
  
* Yeah. . .the best. * She thought to herself.  
  
**********************  
  
It was a warm day, the sky was clear and everything seemed to be in bloom, it seemed to be like a beautiful dream. But for one teenage boy, this day was beginning to be a nightmare becoming reality.  
Tenchi was walking the garbage down to the road for the local garbage disposal company to take their trash away. Although his body was performing manual labor, his mind was on a troubling feeling.  
  
* It feels so wonderful to have Ayeka back safely to us. But know that she has returned she's leaving to go back to Jurai. All of the girls have been here long enough for me to not be able to imagine life without either one of them. Life before the girls was. . .normal, sure it was peaceful and quiet, but it was also boring and lonely. With them here, it's anything but that now. I just can't loose them, not one. * After placing the trash were it was supposed to be, he headed back to the house, trying to convince himself that he wasn't loosing them.  
  
***********************  
  
While Tenchi was tending to his daily chores, Washu was in her laboratory coming to a hard conclusion on a hypothesis she had been trying to solve. She had noticed from the first few minutes of her return that Ayeka was acting different. She was walking different, attitude had changed, and most noticeable of all was that she didn't seem to like it when Tenchi touched her. It was the most noticeable difference that brought Washu to two conclusions of her character. Something had happened to Ayeka on Daimyo's world, either she befriended someone and something horrible happened to them, or. . .something horrible happened to the princess herself. As much as Washu didn't want to wish harm onto anyone else, she hoped for Ayeka's sake that it was the first choice and not the latter.  
  
"Oh, Ayeka. . ." She said to herself after letting out a sigh.  
  
Deciding to do something, she arose from her futon and went outside her lab. Upon leaving her lab she noticed that everyone seemed to be in the living room area. Apparently Ayeka wanted to leave sooner than Washu had expected her too. She spotted Ayeka near her bags, checking through them to see if she had everything she wanted.  
  
"Excuse me Ayeka, but I must insist that you come into my lab and I check your vitals before you leave. You were after all traveling between dimensions on your journey back."  
  
"I'm fine miss Washu, I don't need a check up." She replied with a semi stern look.  
  
"I'm afraid I can't take no as an answer Ayeka, it will only take a couple of minutes."  
  
Seeing that she wouldn't get away from Washu without going along with her, she finally complied with Washu's wishes and followed the small scientist into her laboratory. Once inside her lab, Washu closed the door and switched an override onto the entrance, preventing anyone from coming in.  
Ayeka removed her robe to let Washu patch on some sensors onto parts of her body. When she was placing the sensors onto Ayeka, she noticed that Ayeka seemed to be more relaxed than normal when she was this close to being in the nude. Perhaps Washu's theory was right, she hoped that it was somewhat wrong though. Washu began asking her questions concerning her health.  
  
"Have you been coughing? Any dizzy spells? Nausea? Nose bleeds?" All of which Ayeka shook her head no to. "Ok, I have the sensors connected, just relax and breathe normally. The machines will monitor your Jurain power, heart-rate, and so forth."  
  
Washu had turned to one of the computers and was typing on some keys to adjust the setting correctly. A thought was in the back of Ayeka's mind, would she find out? Washu took notice of her slightly increased heart rate.  
  
*She's worried about something. Oh please don't let it be true. * She thought to herself.  
  
Washu turned to Ayeka. "Ayeka, I need to know, did anything happen on Daimyo's homeworld?"  
  
Ayeka nearly wanted to jump out of her skin. "W..What do you mean? N.nothing happened."  
  
"Ayeka, I'm highly aware of people's actions and you haven't been acting nearly like yourself since you came back. You don't carry yourself when you walk as highly as you use too, you've hardly spoken more than two words to Daimyo since you've meet him. Your more withdrawn when we're all together talking, plus your more relaxed being topless here in front of me than you would have. You haven't tried to cover yourself like you normally would." Realizing she was right Ayeka lifted an arm to cover her self more. "And. . .most frightening of all, you don't seem to welcome Tenchi's touch like you would have."  
  
Ayeka lowered her head, getting her face from Washu's vision, she felt like she was going to cry. * Oh no. . . . .She's found out! What am I going to do?! *  
  
"Ayeka?" Washu's voice sounded soft with concern, but deeper.  
  
Ayeka looked up and saw Washu was in her adult form. Washu knelt down onto the floor in front of the table Ayeka had been sitting on, to get a better view of Ayeka's face.  
  
"Ayeka. . .we've known each other for a couple of years now. I know that we haven't been the closest of friends. . but we are still friends. If anything happened to you, you could tell me. As a friend and as a scientist I promise you, whatever is said here in the lab, stays here. Now would you like to talk about it?" Washu's tone of voice was ever so soft, nearly to a whisper, but loud enough for Ayeka to hear her clearly.  
  
"No. . .I don't want to talk about it."  
  
"But Ayeka. . ."  
  
"I said I don't want to talk about it!" She said glaring at Washu. "Am I finished now?!"  
  
Washu tuned her head down and away. "Yes. You can go."  
  
Ayeka pulled the sensors off of her and put her kimono back on. Washu was still, she stayed on her knees as Ayeka got dressed and turned to leave.  
  
"Where you raped Ayeka?" Washu asked, having to know for sure.  
  
Ayeka spun around and back fisted Washu in the face. The force of her blow knocked Washu to the floor. Ayeka was breathing heavy enough for Washu to hear.  
  
"How dare you ask such a horrible question?!! How could you think that I, a first born princess of Jurai be tainted in such a horrible act?!" Two tears run down Ayeka's face. "I am saving myself for lord Tenchi, I love him. . . .and I wouldn't. . . . .allow someone too. . . . . . . . .take that. . .away from me!" She couldn't finish her denial without crying at the end. Ayeka turned placing her hands on the table for support and allowed herself to cry.  
  
Washu picked herself up from the floor, she was slow getting up from the shock of Ayeka's reaction to her question. Washu reached into the top of her science academy outfit and pulled out a handkerchief and applied it to her bleeding nose. Ayeka's back hand hit her on the cheek and connected with her nose. Her cheek would most likely develop a nasty looking bruise, but at the moment she didn't care.  
  
* Oh, whatever gods in the universe, why would you allow this to happen to Ayeka. She should be the last person in the universe for this to happen too. *  
  
She walked quietly over to Ayeka and placed a hand on her shoulder, Ayeka moved her shoulder to tell her that she didn't want her to touch her.  
  
"Ayeka? I don't know what happened, but I can tell you that I know how you feel. I myself wasn't physically raped, when my family was taken from me that was my rape. I know that the psychological damage will be more painful than what you went through. You need counseling Ayeka, to help cope with this. If you don't soon, then you may never recover from what happened."  
  
"I'm fine." Ayeka said pulling herself back together.  
  
"No your not. I have to ask you to stay Ayeka, I can't allow you to cause yourself further damage."  
  
"I will not take orders from you! You are nothing more than a peasant! Just leave me alone!" She finished walking toward the door. At the door she stopped and turned around. "If you ever tell anyone about what was discussed here, I swear, I WILL kill you!" With that she walked out the doorway.  
  
Washu stood there in shock at Ayeka's threat. She sounded very sincere about it. She had changed more than Washu expected. She had failed to help her friend. Washu slams her closed fist down onto the table where Ayeka sat and cried. "Damnit! . . .I was too late to help her.. . . .I'm sorry I couldn't help you Ayeka."  
  
******************************  
  
Ayeka walked out of the door leading to Washu's lab and stopped to wipe at her eyes to make sure that the tears weren't there. She didn't want anyone asking why she was crying.  
  
"My love?"  
  
Ayeka was slightly startled at hearing someone's voice without her noticing that someone was that close by. Looking to her left she noticed Mireya leaning against the wall. She relaxed when she realized who was there. Mireya walked over to Ayeka and adjusted her kimono, they both looked at each other and smiled. Mireya brushed Ayeka's bangs to adjust her hair to show more of her face.  
  
"My love, when I was. ." She stopped to look around to see if there was anyone around to listen. "When I was in the cell block, I was miserable. I thought that that was it, there wasn't going to be any escape. But when I saw you. . . .everything horrible about that place, seemed to disappear. I had regained hope to life, I had a reason to survive. To get both of us out of there." She gently rubbed the back of her left hand across Ayeka's face. Ayeka replied by tilting her head against her hand.  
  
"I vow that when I return to Draka. I shall confront Voog and I swear on my life, that I will have him beg for death for what he did to you. I still wish that there was something I could have done to help protect you my love." She closes her eyes and looks away. "I blame myself for that."  
  
Ayeka lifted Mireya's head to face her again. "There wasn't anything you could have done Mireya, I wasn't able to do anything against him. But, when you return, I shall accompany you and we shall have vengeance on him."  
  
"My love?" Mireya asked with both hope and disbelief.  
  
"I shall explain later Mireya, I must be leaving."  
  
"Shall I accompany you, my love?"  
  
"No, you have journeyed enough, besides I have that. . .Daimyo to accompany us."  
  
"Very well then, I shall look forward to seeing you light up the day when you return my love."  
  
"Hey what's going on in here?" Ryoko asked floating into the room.  
  
"Oohh, is there a goodbye kiss about to take place in here?" Ryoko whispered to Ayeka, with one of her devious grins.  
  
"Ryoko." Ayeka said calmly, but stared at her as though wanting to burn a hole through her.  
  
"Hey relax Ayeka. I'm just playing, you don't have to go bending yourself out of shape all the time."  
  
"I shall see you in a week Mireya, enjoy yourself while you're here. It's a nice planet and I'm sure you'll like it." Ayeka said walking past Ryoko who was still grinning at the two.  
  
Ryoko floats over to Mireya and nudges her with her elbow. "So you and Ayeka getting close eh?"  
  
Mireya gets a defensive look on her face. "The relationship with me and Ae doesn't concern you."  
  
"Oh, so you have a pet name for Ayeka. I guess that means that the two of you got close."  
  
Mireya grabs Ryoko's left ear and twists it to get Ryoko's head to go in the direction she pulled. "Listen, because I will only say this once. Don't pry into other people's business; anything that happens to Ayeka isn't your concern. Am I understood?" She finished the last sentence in a growl.  
  
"Ow ow ow ow. Yeah, I got it already. Let go of my ear!"  
  
Mireya releases her ear and walks to the rest of the group. "Good, I expect you to behave yourself while I'm here."  
  
Ryoko only glares her a dirty look.  
  
***********************  
  
"You'll like Jurai, it's a beautiful planet. Earth is similar to it, but the trees are much bigger and they can talk to you." Sasami told Daimyo trying to do what she could to cheer him up.  
  
Since early that morning he was in shock. He had never been beaten in a fight, he still couldn't figure out how a woman like Ryoko could have gotten the best of him. She wasn't nearly battle trained to come close to him, at least that he could tell, with how peaceful it is around here she shouldn't be that skilled. Perhaps he let his guard down to much, he didn't take the fight that seriously enough. Either way he tried to turn it, he couldn't get past the reality that he in fact lost the fight.  
  
"Daimyo is there anything I can do to get a smile on your face again?" Sasami asked seeing him with a far off look on his face.  
  
He looked at Sasami and noticed how hard she was trying to cheer him up, so he would give her attempts a little success. "No Sasami, I'm fine you don't have to do anything." He said faking a big smile on his face.  
  
"Hey your coming to Jurai with us, so you have to be happy, that's an order." She said in a mock commanding tone.  
  
Daimyo salutes her. "Yes ma'am." He replied.  
  
This causes both to laugh at how funny each of them sound.  
  
"I'm glad I met you Daimyo. I feel safe knowing your coming with us."  
  
"Hey that gives me an idea Sasami. I'll be your bodyguard, I'll make up for myself by protecting you and your sister."  
  
Sasami's eyes brighten up. "Oh, would you be my guardian Daimyo?" She asked dreamily.  
  
Daimyo nods his head.  
  
Ayeka comes into the room and walks over to Mihoshi. "Mihoshi is your ship ready to leave?"  
  
Mihoshi stands at attention and salutes. "Yes Ma'am. Ukonojo is standing by."  
  
"Good we'll get our bags and we'll be on our way."  
  
"Ayeka?" Tenchi asked walking closer to her.  
  
"Are you sure you want to leave so soon? Shouldn't you rest for a couple of days?"  
  
"No Tenchi, I'm alright, I just have to do something on Jurai. I will return in a week."  
  
"I guess I can't change your mind, but you promise you'll be back? In a week?"  
  
"Yes, I'll return. Come along Sasami." Ayeka called to her sister, noticing she was sitting near. . .him.  
  
"Ok, come on Daimyo, let's go." Sasami grabbed Daimyo's hand and lead him to the door.  
  
Ayeka's eyes narrowed when Daimyo came closer. "You. Get the bags." Ayeka spoke in near a growl with no emotion in her voice.  
  
Daimyo merely sighed and gathered the luggage that Ayeka had left sitting by the door. Mihoshi pulled her control cube out and twisted a couple of corners on it to open a big subspace pocket, allowing her ship to come out. With the ship settled on the ground and the ramp open, Daimyo took the bags inside the ship while Ayeka, Sasami, and Mihoshi were saying their goodbyes to the others.  
Tenchi finished hugging the youngest princess goodbye and notice Ryoko seemed to be distant. Remembering how she had acted yesterday was worrying him, so he walked to Ryoko's side. He tapped Ryoko's shoulder to get her to notice he was there. She smiled at him, but it wasn't the daydream type of smile she usually gave him, it was more of a halfhearted grin. "Is everything alright Ryoko?"  
  
"Now isn't the best time Tenchi, maybe we can talk later. Ok?"  
  
He had never heard her say maybe later, if he had ever shown the slightest interest in her she usually jumps up and down laughing or clings herself onto him. Now he knew there was something troubling her, but he would have to wait a little longer to find out.  
  
"Yes, it's alright. We'll talk later."  
  
"Goodbye Ryoko." Sasami said hugging the pirate.  
  
"Goodbye Sasami." She replied kneeling down to her level. "I'm really going to miss you Sasami."  
  
"Don't worry Ryoko. We won't be gone to long, I promise."  
  
"You take care of yourself Sasami and I guess you'll have to look out for Ayeka too."  
  
"I will. Goodbye Tenchi."  
  
"Goodbye Sasami, we'll be here when you come back." He said patting her on the head.  
  
Daimyo comes out of the ship and walks over to Tenchi. "Don't think that because I'm going away your getting off easy. I want you practicing from the crack of dawn to sunset. When I get back you better be ready, I'll give you such a beating if I don't see more improvement."  
  
It looked like Ryoko was about to tell him where he could shove his beating, when Sasami stepped in. "Common Daimyo, I think we should be going. Ayeka and Mihoshi are ready." She said, grabbing his hand and tugging to get him to come along.  
  
"Alright Sasami, I'm comin'."  
  
Sasami drags Daimyo to the ship, while Mihoshi and Ayeka wave goodbye to everyone. Although Ayeka looks distant and non-caring about the moment of leaving the place she had come to call home.  
After saying their goodbyes, the four board Mihoshi's shuttle craft. Everyone else outside backs up continuing to wave or say goodbye. Everyone except Ryoko, who silently watches the ship leave the ground and quickly becomes a spec in the sky as it begins to leave the Earth's orbit.  
Mireya watched the groups departure from the side of the house. Quietly wishing to be with the one she was in love with. She knew well that Ayeka loved Tenchi, making it impossible for the two of them to be together. However, that knowledge didn't make the denial for her heart any easier.  
  
"Goodbye my love." Mireya whispered to herself.  
  
************************  
  
On board the small ship currently headed toward the planet of Jurai, the group gets settled down into compartments where they would relax in during the lengthy trip. Ukonojo, the ships computer, plotted the course to Jurai and gave the estimated time of arrival to Mihoshi and the crew.  
  
"Mihoshi, I have informed headquarters about our current mission and they will send someone to take your place in patrolling this sector until your return."  
  
"Thank you Ukonojo." Mihoshi replied.  
  
Ukonojo turned slightly to face Ayeka. "Princess Ayeka, the galaxy police headquarters has asked me to inform you that you are our top priority and that you will have a safe and secure journey back home."  
  
"Yes, yes. Thank you." She said uninterested in listening to him.  
  
She knew they would say something like that, if anything did happen to her or her sister under their care, their father would make heads roll. Literally. She had heard assurances like this a hundred times before. She didn't want to get assurances she wanted what she desperately needed now, more power. If she goes to the tree of Tsunami and prays to her, she will grant her request to be granted more powers.  
  
* Then I will be able to have my vengeance. . . .I mean justice. Yes, justice will be served. * She thought, smiling to herself from the thoughts of Voog's demise by her hands.  
  
"Miss Ayeka?"  
  
Ayeka realized that she was indeed smiling at the thoughts and Mihoshi seemed to notice. "Yes Mihoshi?"  
  
"What are you so happy about?"  
  
"Oh, I was just thinking how nice it will be to see my family again." She replied with quick thinking.  
  
In other parts of the ship Daimyo was sitting alone, he still couldn't accept defeat. His pride was one thing he held high, it was because he was never beaten he had survived. He was forged from battle, victory was all he knew, those who lose die. How could he have succumbed to Ryoko in battle, even though he didn't know she could spilt into two, he should have been able to hear her approach. Maybe it was this place, this peaceful existence that he now found himself in that was destroying the warrior within. "Hey Daimyo. I was wondering where you took off too, I was wanting to talk with you." Sasami said entering the room.  
  
Daimyo sat there not paying much attention to her entrance.  
  
"Daimyo what's wrong?" Sasami asked unsure of what to do.  
  
"I just want to be alone right now Sasami. Please leave."  
  
Sasami felt heartache at his request. "Alright. . . .maybe I can come talk with you later."  
  
Daimyo gave no response to her last sentence and just sat in quiet solitude while Sasami left the room. He wanted to stay in the storage room for a while basking in the doubt of his skills that have kept him alive all this time. With his defeat from Ryoko, came the death of his glory and pride.  
  
****************  
  
Having to never look up that much before began to make Washu realize that she may have needed to get more lighting in her lab. She could barely make out the ceiling in her lab. She pulled a white handkerchief from her nose and saw that the bleeding had finally stopped.  
  
"At last, beginning to think the bleeding wasn't going to stop."  
  
She was alone in the lab, not wanting anyone to see her trying to stop a nosebleed and someone would probably notice the bruise that was forming on her face. She had applied a cream onto the bruise that would help it heal faster, by the end of the day it should be gone. All she had to do was stay in the lab for the rest of the day, nothing new to her; she barely left the lab anyway. She silently tortured herself for letting herself just out and ask her directly like that. She knew that she would blow up on her, but she just couldn't seem to stop herself from wanting to know.  
  
She chuckled. * Looks like I got my answer. * She thought to herself.  
  
* I hope that Ayeka is strong enough for her to cope with whatever happened to her. Otherwise she will never fully recover from this. Perhaps I can talk to that woman to find out what happened, Mireya I think her name was. *  
  
"I guess I'll have to keep myself busy until I can go talk to her."  
  
Washu began working on another project she had put off when the whole Ayeka disappearing incident began.  
  
**********************  
  
A few hours after Ayeka's departure had come and gone. Tenchi was once again hard at work with his chores he performed around the house and shrine. He still couldn't shake the feeling that his fears were coming to light with the girls. Was he losing them? He had become so used to the girls being around that he could imagine things going back the way they were before they came. These thoughts kept haunting his mind during his sweeping of the shrine stairs. Although he hardly showed it, he deeply enjoyed having met them and getting to know all of them. He just wasn't able to really be able to show it, due to the constant explosions and fights going off around him. And he didn't enjoy the fact that most of the fights were over who gets him, like a prize to be awarded to them after beating their rival. Turning his thought to them fighting over him the way they do, caused him to sweep with a little more force. He hated it when they both fought, he knew they could be great friends, but they had to fight over him. Couldn't they tell he enjoyed having both girls in his life. He was so caught up in his thoughts of losing his current way of life that he failed to notice another presence nearby. He was making his way up the stairs backwards to sweep the stairs that he stood on before. He stepped up a stair and his back bumped into something. Turning around he saw that Ryoko was standing on the stair behind him, she had a calm look on her face, it seemed to slightly hold a sad expression.  
  
"Hi Ryoko, I didn't notice you there. Have you been here long?"  
  
Ryoko fumbled with her hands in front of her and she looked down at them. "No, I haven't been here very long."  
  
"Are you alright Ryoko? I've noticed you've been acting weird lately."  
  
"Yes, I'm alright Tenchi. There was just something I was wanting to tell you."  
  
"What did you want to tell me?"  
  
"Before I say it, I just want to let you know that I thought about it for a week and I've made my decision. I've decided it's for the best."  
  
"What?" Tenchi asked, feeling a cold fear suddenly entering his chest.  
  
"Tenchi." Her eye's softened at the mention of his name. "I've decided. . . .I'm leaving. . . .and I'm not coming back."  
  
I do hope you enjoyed this chapter and I have started working on the next chapter. I'll post it as soon as I finish it. The next chapter is: Uplifting Spirits 


	10. Winds Of Change

I do not own any of the Tenchi Muyo characters and in no way am I making any money from writing this story. I write these stories for the fun of it, so please don't sue. Thank you.  
  
Shogun Muyo - Chapter 10: Winds of Change  
  
Clouds covered the sky, blocking the sun from shining down and brightening the earth. A gust of wind blows through the trees and a cold feeling of loneliness and fear crept over the body of Tenchi Masaki, like the icy hand of death passed over him. The broom that was firmly in his hand falls to the ground without him trying to catch it. The only sound is the bang of the broom hitting the stone of the stairs.  
  
"Your. . . . .leaving. . .?" He asked in a distant gaze to Ryoko.  
  
She lowered her head to avoid eye contact. "Yes."  
  
"What do you mean it's for the best?"  
  
She looks at him wishfully. "Tenchi, I have been telling myself that you are in love with me and that I'm in your heart. And I came to believe that it was true." She pauses for a second. "But when Ayeka was gone, I came to finally see that Ayeka is the one in your heart. Not me."  
  
"Ry. ." Tenchi was cut off from talking by Ryoko holding up a hand. "Please Tenchi. . . .let me finish this."  
  
"I know that I am nothing more than a demon to you Tenchi. And don't say" She paused, raising her finger at him. "Don't say that isn't true Tenchi. I know from hearing you from your dreams. . .I scare you. All I'm doing is hurting you Tenchi. I want you to be happy, I only wanted to be the one that makes you happy."  
  
* She heard me from my dreams? Oh no, this can't be happening. I really am losing them. Don't just stand there like an idiot. Say something!! * Tenchi's mind yelled at him.  
  
"No, Ryoko. You can't leave, I need you here."  
  
Ryoko shook her head. "No Tenchi, you don't need me. You have Ayeka."  
  
"You can't just leave, what about the others?"  
  
"I've already said goodbye to them, in my own way. All that was left was for me to say goodbye to you. .Tenchi. Saving the hardest thing for last. Goodbye Tenchi." Ryoko said turning around and floating up the stairs.  
  
* Say something. Stop her! * His mind demanded.  
  
"Ryoko, you can't go. I. . .I. . .I love you."  
  
Ryoko came to a stop; he had said the words she had wanted to hear him tell her for a long time. But she knew he didn't mean it, he couldn't. She turned around to face him.  
  
"Please Tenchi. Don't say that. . . .this is hard enough for me to do. I'm trying to do the right thing for you."  
  
"Please Ryoko." He pleaded grabbing both her hands in his. "I want you to stay. I want all of you here. I couldn't picture life here without any of you."  
  
Ryoko looked shocked. Could she be so important to him?  
  
Tenchi was able to see that she looked shocked or confused, but either way it looked like she was considering staying. Now all he had to do was really convince her to stay.  
  
"Come back to the house with me. I'll prove that I want you to stay."  
  
Tenchi grabbed ahold of Ryoko's hand and ran with her down the stairs to the house. He asked her to remain outside and to stay there. He ran up the stairs and grabbed the Tenchi-ken from a dresser drawer he kept it in. Running back outside to find Ryoko was still in the spot that he left her. She saw the Tenchi-ken in his hand and looked at him in wonder.  
  
"To show you that I truly want you to stay I'm willingly giving you back all three of your gems."  
  
Ryoko felt like she was about to pass out. He was trusting her to have all three back. All to show her that he really wanted her to stay. She thought that he wanted her to stay so her feelings wouldn't get hurt, but perhaps he really wanted her to stay, because he enjoyed having her company. Perhaps there was still hope for her to win his heart. Tenchi held the Tenchi-ken out with both hands and closed his eye's to pray that Ryoko gets her gems back. Ryoko closed her eyes and extended her hands in order to receive them back. The gems in the Tenchi-ken glow red and disappear one by one from the swords hilt. Both gems reappear on her right wrist and the other on the base of her neck. Both open their eyes as Ryoko feels the power of all three gems running through her body once again. She looks both gems in her wrists over in disbelief. He wasn't afraid of her, he trusted her to have the power of all three gems again. She felt like she was going to cry from being so happy. She looks at Tenchi and can't hold back anymore. She throws herself onto him cheering and feeling totally content. Both share the hug for what feels like hours. Ryoko was crying.  
  
"Are you alright Ryoko?" Tenchi asked, unsure if she was ok.  
  
"I couldn't be happier Tenchi. Let's just share this for another minute." She asked.  
  
"We'll take as long as you need Ryoko. Just don't leave."  
  
"I'll stay as long as you want me to Tenchi. I will never leave your side. I'll be there as long as you need me. That I promise you." She finished putting her face down onto his shoulder.  
  
Not all participants in this joyous moment feel happiness and love. By one of the trees, unnoticed eyes were taking in this moment with mixed feelings of anger, hurt, and betrayal. Her hand clenched the bark of the tree she was behind, squeezing to vent her frustration quietly. Mireya's usual tranquil eyes, burned with a fire as she watched both Tenchi and Ryoko embracing each other.  
  
* How could he just embrace this woman only a couple of hours after Ayeka has left? He doesn't deserve to have Ayeka's love. You do not care for Ayeka's heart Tenchi Masaki. I won't let you hurt her, hurting her will be your last mistake. *  
  
When she watched Tenchi and Ryoko break their hug and walk off talking to each other, Mireya notices she took some of the bark off the tree from her anger. Mireya decided to keep an eye on both of them until Ayeka returns, she wanted to make sure that Tenchi behaved himself.  
  
*********************  
  
The door opened and Sasami walked into the room, taking Daimyo some snack food that Mihoshi had stocked aboard Ukonojo. She didn't like that he seemed to be more distant than usual, she guessed he didn't take Ryoko beating him that lightly. She didn't like seeing anyone sad around her, she always wanted to make others happy. Especially him, she had often found herself looking at him during dinner at the Masaki house. She was taken with Daimyo, but she knew he didn't feel any feelings she had for him. He would think that she was too young to know what love is. She turned the corner to see if he was still in the same area he was in a few hours earlier. She found that he was in the same spot that she had left him in, apparently he didn't move around during the time. He seemed to be meditating, so she was unsure if she should leave him alone for a little while longer. But Daimyo must have felt her presence in the room, because he opened his eyes and saw Sasami holding some packets, that he assumed was food. He smiled a little and motioned her to come over.  
  
"Hi Sasami. Is that food?"  
  
Sasami seemed a little shy with him smiling at her. "Hm. .yes, it isn't the best food, but it was the only thing onboard to eat. Mihoshi seems to like sugary foods."  
  
"So were you here to offer me some food or were you going to make me watch you eat them?"  
  
Realizing she hadn't offered him any of the food she had brought for him, she scuttled over next to him and offered him some of the sugary snack food. She held out a couple of the packets and he picked two of them and thanked her for thinking of bringing him some food. Sasami felt like she was about to blush from his smile and his gentlemanly manners around her. Then she remembered to offer him something else.  
  
"Would you like anything to drink Daimyo, this kind of food always makes me thirsty?"  
  
"I'll take some water, here I'll come with you, I should try to make my way around this ship of Mihoshi's."  
  
"Ok, just follow me, I'll show you around the ship."  
  
"You know I've never been on a ship that can fly into space. What does it look like in space?"  
  
"You mean you've never seen space before? It's breathtaking. I'll show you what it looks like from the next room."  
  
Sasami leads Daimyo into a room that has a small couch, table, and a Vid screen. It was a recreational room for the officer's onboard to relax while taking a break from work. Daimyo looked at the room and thought it was a nice little room, but there wasn't anyway for them to see outside the ship, he didn't see a window or anything.  
  
"Sasami, I don't see where we can look outside at space."  
  
Sasami walked near the couch and stood next to the wall of the ship. She flipped a switch Daimyo failed to notice when surveying the room. A panel on the wall opened up and revealed a glass window, which showed the vast ocean of space beyond. Daimyo walked over and took in the sight of seeing what laid beyond a planet's atmosphere. He couldn't seem to find a way to describe it, it looked scary and bleak outside, but it also showed gentleness and beauty at the same time. It was a sight that was rarely seen on Draka, after the emperor took over anyway. He couldn't remember the last time on his world when he took the time to look up into the night's sky to look at it in marvel. He was always too busy staying alert and listening to hear anyone approaching him in the cover of darkness. Seeing something so wonderful, seemed to make him feel a little sad at the same time, giving thought to other people on Draka experiencing what he used to. He suddenly gave thought to what Mireya had said to him the evening that he and her met for the first time in a long while. When she told him how selfish he had become, he didn't want to wish all his experiences onto someone else growing up among the ruins and decay of most of his world.  
  
Sasami looked at Daimyo and noticed that he seemed to be saddened more; she didn't understand why he was saddened. "Daimyo, is something wrong?"  
  
"No. . .nothings wrong Sasami. . . .just having some thoughts. Hey, let's say we try some of that food you brought." Daimyo said changing the subject.  
  
They opened the wrapping from the junk food and sat on the couch eating the food while watching the stars slowly pass by from the window. Sasami rested her head against his arm, snuggling up to him. He didn't feel comfortable, knowing that Sasami seemed to have some mixed feelings for him, but didn't want to upset her, so he allowed her to keep her head there. He just needed to watch out for her suddenly grabbing him and planting a forceful kiss on him again.  
  
***********************  
  
An eerie familiar laugh echoed in the darkness that faced the first- born princess of Jurai. The laugh that held no soul in it, from a heartless creature that now seemed to haunt her dreams. It seemed whenever she closed her eyes; he was there behind her eyelids waiting to torment her in her mind.  
Then there was light and she saw him standing in front of her towering over her small form. She looked into his face, seeing the coldness of his eyes from the way he looked at her. She wanted to reach out and strangle him to death, but again she wasn't able to move against his power. He pushed her down onto the ground, she feel like a rag doll unable to move any muscle. He began to rip her kimono off of her, all she could do was cry out at him to tell him to stop. But her pleas for mercy fell upon uncaring ears; he continued to remove her clothing.  
Within what seemed to be a second, she was naked and exposed to him. He began to ravage her body again. She wished that she could die so she wouldn't experience this again. But she didn't have the strength to move against him. She screamed out when he began to force his way into her again.  
She awoke in her futon in a room on the ship that was currently carrying her and her sister back to her home world. Not even in a galaxy police ship did she feel safe from Voog. He desecrated her body, robbed the one thing that was important to her, to show her love for her husband by giving herself completely to him. Now she wouldn't be able to show that to whoever she would eventually marry to strengthen the throne of Jurai more.  
She must have been pleading in her sleep, Sasami was sitting up in her futon looking caringly at her sister. "Ayeka? Are you alright?" She asked her sister, unsure of what had scared her so.  
  
"Yes Sasami, I'm alright, I just had a bad dream. Go back to sleep."  
  
"Are you sure Ayeka?"  
  
"Yes I'm sure. Go back to bed." Ayeka's reply was forced and possessed a commanding tone.  
  
Sasami laid back down, feeling slightly hurt by Ayeka's reply to her concern for her sister. She closed her eyes and tried to go back to sleep  
  
Ayeka laid back down on her futon and looked up at the ceiling. Contemplating on where her future could possibly lye now. Before what happened on Draka, Ayeka could have any pick of countless princes and noblemen wanting to become heirs of the throne of Jurai. But now she knew that that reality would be gone. With her innocence robbed from her now, no nobleman would want to marry a woman that hadn't saved herself for her husband. Now she would be lucky to find one man with noble blood in his veins that would be willing to marry her. Even if some man wanted to marry her, she wouldn't be able to welcome his touch.  
  
* Damn you Voog.* She thought to herself as tears began to run down her face. She turned onto her side to face away from her sister, she didn't want Sasami to discover her crying. * Damn you, you monster!* Her mind cried, as she continued to cry until she feel back to sleep.  
  
*************************  
  
A few light years away, another dream was occurring. One that seemed to be like a memory, but was unfamiliar to the dreamer.  
  
"This isn't the way we agreed to do this."  
  
"This IS the way we will run things. Your way is too trusting with these creatures, with my way, we will gain the respect that we deserve."  
  
"Your way seems to be to enslave everything and declare us superior to them."  
  
"We are Superior. We determine how they live, where they live, and when they die. We should rule these creatures."  
  
"NO!" A third voice joins the conversation. "We were given the responsibility to serve them, not to rule them. That was the wish of the one that breathed life into us all."  
  
"That being left us to do as we wish and I for one think we should have dominance over them."  
  
"I cannot accept that idea. I will not partake in this."  
  
"I will not go along with your idea either Tokomi." The second voice made itself known again.  
  
"Then I believe there's only one way to settle this. . . ." The voice that was identified as Tokomi said.  
  
The darkness of the dream is suddenly replaced with light, then the focus comes in and the interior of the Masaki home is shown to the dreamers eyes. She shifts on her favorite support beam where she likes to take her catnaps. She yawned and stretched her entire body to get into the mood to wake up. She tried to remember the dream that she just had, but can't seem to recall it. She knew there were three different voices, all of them sounded unfamiliar, except for one. But she couldn't recall the dream much to really dwell on it. She was awake now and wanted to enjoy life at the Masaki home. She was in good spirits, knowing that Tenchi still wanted her around. And he seemed to be more trusting of her, by giving back all three of her gems. Thinking about her newly reacquired gems, she looked down at both her wrists to see two of the gems she had back. It had been a long time since she saw both gems in her wrists and felt the power from within them flow through her again. Thinking about other things she wanted to see Tenchi again, or to just be in his presence. She couldn't imagine going a whole day without seeing the face of the young man she had desperately fallen in love with. She had watched him grow up during the last fifteen years of her imprisonment in the cave, she felt her heart melt for him the day she laid eyes on him. Now she just couldn't take her eyes away from him.  
  
"Tenchi?" She called from the beam.  
  
Not getting any reply told her that he wasn't in the house, so she would have to go find him. She teleported from the beam to the front of the house and called his name again. Still no reply. She then thought to check in Washu's lab, maybe he was there. She teleported back inside the house in the living room and walked to the hallway closet that was the entryway into the laboratory of the greatest scientific mind in the universe. She opened the door to be greeted by the usual darkness that shrouded the geniuses lab in mystery.  
  
"Tenchi?!" she called out.  
  
She didn't receive a reply in there either. Perhaps she could ask Washu where he was.  
  
"Washu?!"  
  
"What happened to mommy?" Washu asked from the darkness. Her child form was barely visible in the dim light.  
  
* I hope Ryoko can't see my face, it still has a little bit of the bruise visible. If she notices it, I'll have to make some excuse up. * Washu thought.  
  
"Mommy?!" Ryoko repeated.  
  
"Yes, little Ryoko?" Washu poked fun at Ryoko.  
  
"Don't call me that! I said I would call you mom or mother, but I'm never going to call you mommy. Forget it!"  
  
Washu turned around and slightly hunched over. "Awe you hurt your mommies feelings." She said adding a couple of mock sniffling at the end.  
  
* I don't need this. * Ryoko thought to herself.  
  
"Mom do you know where Tenchi is?" She asked wanting to get her information and get out.  
  
Washu began walking to her floating futon, where she conducted most of her work seated from. "Don't tell me that you only came in here to get some information from me. You didn't want to talk with me and share stories or experiences with me?"  
  
* Normally that would be what I would want, but thanks to some reverse psychology I'll have her out of the lab in no time. * She thought, smiling at her genius.  
  
"Look. . . .mommy." She said with great difficulty. "I would like to talk with you, but I would really like to know where Tenchi is right now. Perhaps I can come back later and we can talk."  
  
"Alright, I'll tell you where he is, but I want you to come back in five hours please. I want to get to know my daughter personally more."  
  
"Deal."  
  
"Alright, he's up at the office of the shrine. Since his grandfather is gone, he's keeping the place up there clean until Katsuhito returns."  
  
"Ah, thank you." She said so relieved that she got the answer from her that she hugged Washu without thinking about it. Thankfully for Washu, she grabbed and hugged the side that didn't show the bruise, so her head was turned to conceal it. Ryoko realized she was hugging Washu and didn't find the situation to comfortable. She released the petite redhead and readjusted her position.  
  
"Ok, I'll be here when you come back and remember you agreed."  
  
Ryoko flew backwards a couple of feet. "Yeah, I know I agreed, I'll be back in five hours." She turned and flew for the door and exited Washu's lab.  
  
* That went well. She didn't notice the bruise and in five hours this thing should be gone. * She thought looking toward the bruise that was on her left cheek.  
  
"That reminds me." She said aloud to herself. She reaches into a subspace pocket and pulls out her facial cream to doctor up her bruise again. She called up her computer to display a picture of what was occurring at the shrine. She watched Ryoko phase into the picture while applying the cream.  
  
***************************  
  
The door opens and allows the first-born princess of Jurai to enter the cargo hold that Sasami and Daimyo were currently in. She had noticed that her sister and Daimyo weren't around with Mihoshi and herself, so she had been looking for them. She noticed Sasami was asleep leaning against Daimyo's arm. He was looking out the window into the vast sea of space. He averted his gaze at the stars to the doorway when he heard the sound of the door opening. Seeing Sasami alone and asleep next to him made Ayeka's eyes burn. To think that her little sister was trying to befriend an animal from that accursed planet, she had to keep herself from running across the room to tear his arm off. She had to remind herself that her sister was innocent and did not know of the darkness that existed in the universe. She walked over to Daimyo and Sasami; Ayeka's approach awoke Sasami as she looked to see her sister was in the room. She noticed that Ayeka's eyes seemed more narrowed than usual, the warmth that was always there before wasn't present in her eyes now.  
  
"Hi Ayeka." Sasami greeted her sister, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.  
  
Ayeka's face seemed to instantly change from a look that Sasami hadn't seen on her sister's face to the face she had grown up with. "Sasami, I was wondering if you were going to spend any time with your sister. Surely you haven't grown tired of having me around already?"  
  
"No! No, I'm eternally grateful that your back and I wouldn't ever want to be without you again Ayeka." She said running over to hug her sister.  
  
"Come along Sasami, we'll have some time to ourselves." She said glancing over at Daimyo.  
  
"Sorry Daimyo, but I'm going to go spend some time with Ayeka. I'll come back and talk to you later."  
  
Ayeka nearly had to bit her tongue to keep herself from saying that she refused for Sasami to speak to him. Knowing the curiosity of her sister, she would inquire as to why Ayeka wouldn't want her talking to him. So she faked a smile to Sasami and led her out the door, away from Daimyo. As they went down the hallway in the interior of the ship Ayeka tried to find the words she wanted to tell her sister, but not to make her sound different from her normal self. She knew she had to be more conscious of her actions pointed out by Washu, but she found it hard to concentrate more on anything but getting back at Voog. "So Ayeka what would you like to do?" She asked in her cheerful voice?  
  
"Sasami?"  
  
"Yes, Ayeka?"  
  
"I would like it if you didn't hang around Daimyo. At least alone."  
  
Sasami was a little shocked by her sister's request. "But why Ayeka?"  
  
"Because I don't trust him, I saw how his people are. They're all savages and I don't want you conversing with him. Am I understood?"  
  
"But Ayeka. . .?"  
  
"Sasami?!" Ayeka said turning to face her, with a sturn look about her face.  
  
Sasami's head tilted down a little. "Alright Ayeka, I won't." She said in defeat.  
  
"Good, now let's go find something to eat."  
  
****************  
  
Tenchi had cleaned his grandfathers' office out nicely. After cleaning the dirt out of the place, he had to straighten everything back into order. Keeping the paperwork for the shrine in order was harder than he thought, so it was taking a little longer than he had planned.  
  
He wiped some sweat from his forehead. " I didn't know Grandpa had so many papers to keep for the shrine." He spoke to himself looking at the pile of papers that he just stacked on his grandfather's desk. "Now just have to put these back into the drawer here."  
  
He picked up the papers and was about to set them down inside the drawer when the sudden noise from behind him caused him to loose his grip on the papers. He turned to see Ryoko phasing through the wall looking down at the mess that now cluttered his grandfather's office floor. Tenchi felt himself feeling like he was going to vent fumes, but knowing what had nearly occurred earlier in the day, he calmed himself down before saying something he may end up regretting.  
  
"What did you want Ryoko?" He asked trying not to sound unhappy to see her, but failed with the small tone his voice was in.  
  
She floated around the back of him and curled herself around him, making herself look like a skin coat on his back. "I just wanted to see you Tenchi. Your always so busy with your chores that you don't seem to have time to spend with me."  
  
"Ryoko, you know that I have to do my chores, they're a part of my training under grandpa. Besides, someone has to keep this place clean, otherwise it'll become a real chore when we have to clean it. Speaking of a real chore, I'm going to have to get all these papers out of the floor."  
  
"If we get the papers straightened up, will you spend some time with me?" She asked placing her finger under his chin to get him to look her in the face.  
  
"Yes, I suppose I'd have some free time."  
  
He would have said more, but Ryoko placed her finger on his lips to quiet him. "Well then I'll help."  
  
She lifts her index finger up, a small white ball shines on the tip. The papers in the floor shuffle around and stack themselves into a pile and lift up into the air and land on top of the desk.  
  
She looks at Tenchi and smiles. "Well now it looks like you have some free time. Come on let's go Tenchi." Ryoko said pushing him out the door.  
  
*************************  
  
The castle seemed to be becoming a living, breathing entity. Guards roamed every hallway and security was double reinforced. It was considered suicide to try to attack the castle before, but now with the increased alertness of the area, it should now be considered an impossible task.  
Voog watched the guards around the outer perimeter scurry about like ants from his view from a window in his quarters. He still couldn't understand why the emperor was so cautious about this silly legend. The empire had remained sustained on Draka for hundreds of years and it would most likely remain for several hundred more.  
Even though he knew nobody in their right minds would try to attack, he couldn't help but feel that there would be a fight coming. He smiled at the thought of a battle.  
  
* It would be entertaining if there were an attack. Things have gotten a little boring around here without that pretty little flower that damned Mireya had to leave with. But for the time being, I think I'll pay the cellblock a visit. * He thought to himself with a grin on his face.  
  
********************  
  
Sasami was dreaming of a time when she was on Jurai, before Ayeka departed on her search for her half-brother Yosho. She was in a wide field of flowers, running along the field to watch the flowers speed by her to see the effect of the blur the flowers became. She remembered her sister was there, Sasami had brought her there to cheer her up while her brother was gone. She was beginning to run to Ayeka, when the dream suddenly disappeared from the small princesses head. She was standing in a void, there was nothing around her. She looked around to figure out what had occurred and she caught sight of another figure standing in the darkness with her.  
  
"Tsunami?" She asked, seeing her goddess standing before her.  
  
"I'm sorry to have interrupted your dream Sasami."  
  
"That's alright Tsunami, what did you want to say?"  
  
Tsunami tilted her head slightly. "Now what makes you suspect that I come here to say anything Sasami? Can't a goddess visit with her bondmate from time to time?"  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry Tsunami, but you usually visit me in my sleep to tell me something."  
  
"It's alright Sasami, I was only playing, I did have something I have to tell you. Sasami. . . .it's nearly time."  
  
Sasami gasped in fear, she knew what the goddess was referring to. "S. so soon?"  
  
"I'm sorry if I've frightened you Sasami, but you've known this would have occurred sooner or later."  
  
"I know Tsunami, but I feel like it was really fast. When will it happen?"  
  
"The assimilation will take time for us to completely bond together, you'll find yourself getting taller than normal, but don't fear Sasami. No harm will become of you."  
  
"I know I'll be fine Tsunami, but I'm not sure how everyone else will take it."  
  
"Sasami, your family loves you for who you are. It wouldn't make any difference on how tall you are that would change that. It was like what your sister said that day they discovered our bonding, she loves you no matter what. Don't you feel that way for her?"  
  
"Yes. Yes, I love my sister very much. I would love her no matter what."  
  
"It's good to know you feel that way for her Sasami. I feel your sister is going to be in need of that love of yours soon.  
  
Sasami was about to ask her what she meant, but the dream she was having reappeared and Tsunami wasn't there anymore.  
  
"Tsunami?!" Sasami called to her, but didn't receive any reply.  
  
Sasami awoke from her dream and shifted in her futon to look over toward her resting sister. She was still asleep, it felt like it was early in the morning still.  
  
* I wonder what Tsunami meant by my sister needing my love for her? I guess that means I should watch out for Ayeka, I don't want anything happening to her. *  
  
Deciding it wasn't time to dwell on things at the moment, she laid her head back down onto her pillow and returned to her dreaming.  
  
Next Chapter: The Rhythm of My Sorrow 


	11. The Rythm of My Sorrow

I do not own any of the Tenchi Muyo characters and in no way am I making any money from writing this story. I write to enjoy it and let people enjoy the stories that I write. So please don't sue me. Here is the continuation of:  
  
Shogun Muyo - Chapter 11: The Rhythm of My Sorrow  
  
There was darkness in all directions, not a single beam of light to illuminate anything within sight. A flash of light happens within an instant, but pain also accompanied the flash. Another flash occurs, bringing pain once more. Voices are heard, but the words cannot be made out. There is anger present in the sounds of the voices talking, Ryoko who was experiencing the pain and overhearing the voices covers her ears, but still feels the pain. She also realizes there is also a sense of urgency or danger, perhaps even both.  
  
"Who's there?! Where am I?!"  
  
She hears no reply from the voices, they continue talking as though she was never there. She covers her ears again and curls down onto what she could only think was the floor that was beneath her feet.  
  
". . .stop. . . . ." She asked from her fetal position on the ground in a barely audible plea.  
  
The voices continued, the girl knew that they either didn't hear her or chose to ignore her.  
  
"Stop it." She asked louder.  
  
There was still no change in the voices that were echoing in the darkness. She felt a buildup of anger beginning to rise in her, she was growing tired of being ignored. She was tired of feeling this pain and these feelings of doubt, fear, and urgency. She felt herself building up to the verge of erupting in anger, she didn't like this, she wanted to know why. More importantly she wanted this all to. . . .  
  
"I SAID STOP!!!!" She cried throwing her head back and crying into the darkness.  
  
"STOP!" She yelled sitting up on her beam in the house of the Masaki home.  
  
She looked around to make sure that she was indeed inside the house. She wiped her forehead and noticed that she was sweating. She couldn't recall when she had a nightmare and woke up sweating from it. This was the fourth night in a row that she has had a nightmare. Four days ago Ayeka left the house to go back to Jurai, perhaps Ayeka had done something to cause her nightmares while she was away. She thought that it did seem a little too coincidental that the nightmares began the day that she left.  
  
* It has to be Ayeka, there isn't anything else that happened. . . . . * Her train of thought rolled off, she had remembered something else that happened that day.  
  
She looked at the gems on her wrists. * I also got these back on the same day. I don't believe Ayeka has any demonic powers, so that means that you three are causing me this pain. But why? You never hurt me before. *  
  
Not thinking much more about it, she jumped down from the support beam and made herself comfortable on the couch. She turned the television on and looked to find if there was anything worth her time to watch.  
  
***********************  
  
Mireya was sitting under one of the trees that stand near the steps leading to the Masaki Shrine. She was sitting there taking in the sight of the world that her love Ayeka had told her about. It was indeed a lovely and peaceful place. She had to get used to not having to look over her shoulder at the slightest sound. She didn't have to worry about being attacked here, but her reflexes were still there.  
She had been watching people from this planet go up to the shrine at the top of the stairs she was sitting near. Nobody noticed her sitting there watching them go by. Either that or they just didn't care if she was there or not. She had been trying to enjoy the planet, like Ayeka suggested she try, but she just couldn't help but feel saddened.  
  
* This place would be more enjoyable if you were here to share it with me my love. My heart aches for you to be near me again Ae. I've never felt feelings for anyone like this before. You are the one love of my life and I can't be with you. * As she thought this a tear goes down her cheek. Suddenly her eyes narrow. * It's not like that Tenchi cares for you my love. He doesn't know how lucky he is to have your affection; he'll discard your heart like a useless piece of trash. Oohh, how I long for the two of us to be together. *  
  
With her heart and thoughts aching to be with the woman she had come to love, she couldn't help but wonder what her love was doing at that moment.  
  
***********************  
  
It had been several days since they began their journey to Jurai, but finally they were preparing to enter the Jurian atmosphere. Ayeka stood in front of a window observing their decent down to the planets surface. It had been a long time since she had gazed upon her homeworld.  
  
* It is good to see Jurai again. I thought that there was a possibility that I would never see it again. * She had to shake her current thoughts from her head. She had not returned to reminisce about her time spent living here. She had something that she had to do.  
  
She turns away from the window and heads to the bridge of Mihoshi's ship, wanting to keep from having memories of the past and to concentrate on what was occurring now. Entering the ships bridge, Ayeka sees that Mihoshi is conversing with a man that seemed to be in charge of the security that would be in the area of their landing.  
  
"Galaxy Police Ship Ukonojo, your request for landing has been approved. You will land on the pad located at the south end of the royal palace."  
  
"Roger that, we are beginning our decent now."  
  
Mihoshi ended communication with the personnel on the other end of the link. The ship adjusted itself to safely enter Jurai's atmosphere, due to Jurai having a landing beacon that the ship was able to fly in on.  
Entering the atmosphere caused the ship to begin shaking from the force of their decent. Daimyo was in the break room of the ship sitting on the couch with Sasami sitting next to him.  
  
"Hey Sasami?"  
  
"Yes Daimyo?" She replied, her voice shaky from the turbulence.  
  
"This. . .is normal right?"  
  
"Yes, it gets a little shaky on entry."  
  
"Oh, that's good."  
  
* Of all the ways to die, this isn't one way I would like to get to the great beyond. * He thought to himself.  
  
Looking out the window both of them could see the change from the black of space to the blue of the atmosphere. The ship's vibrations died down to a minimum and Sasami got up and looked out the window.  
She saw her world's beauty again. Seeing the sight of how green her world was she had nearly forgotten how beautiful it was. She had spent her live growing up there, she had come to take the sights for granted, but after her long time away, she rediscovered the beauty of Jurai.  
  
"Hey Daimyo. Come see." She cried from her spot at the window.  
  
Deciding he should look or she may get angry and deny him food during their visit, he rose from the couch and joined her by the window. Looking out he saw that there was green that covered the ground, and there were cities that seemed to be incased in the forests of this world. He noticed that there seemed to be a massive tree they were flying towards. He couldn't see all of it, due to the fact that it was a window from the side and not the front.  
  
"Hey Sasami, did you say that your castle was a giant tree?"  
  
She giggles. "Yes, we used the great structure of the tree to carve the castle inside of it. Our planet coexists with the trees of Jurai. Do you have trees that can talk to you on your world Daimyo?"  
  
"No. We don't have trees that can talk to us."  
  
* We don't have much of anything that seems to resemble this place at all. Their powerful, yet their empire doesn't look as. . .bad as ours does. * He thought to himself.  
  
"It looks like we're about to land. We should go join Mihoshi and my sister."  
  
He nods his ok to her, then they both walk out the door into the corridor of the ship. They feel the ship connect with the ground as they are halfway to the bridge. On their way to the bridge they come to the junction of the hall where they can depart from the ship.  
  
"Hey Sasami, I'll do my job as bodyguard and head outside to make sure everything is alright."  
  
Sasami blushes at the thought of Daimyo being her bodyguard. "Alright, I'll go bring my sister and Mihoshi and tell them your checking outside."  
  
Sasami turns and walks to get the others, while trying to get her face to stop blushing. She didn't want the others to see her getting so flushed about him.  
  
* What a good kid she is. I hope she one day finds the love that she would like to have with me. But she could find someone a whole lot better. * He thought to himself, smiling at the thought of her fondness for him.  
  
The outer door opens, letting him see the landing pad that they had used to park the ship at. It was a smoothly shaped build to the material that was used to make the structure of the castle. Walking out of the ship, he was able to see that the pad had a great view of the surrounding forest below. The green of the trees made it look like a weird design of grass as far as the eye could see, the sky also blended beautifully with the distant horizon.  
The sound of the ships door closing back down broke him from his awe of the sights of the planet. He had walked down the ramp that the ship had outstretched for the passengers to depart. So he just assumed the door closes automatically and disregarded it, they would come out when they were ready. It looked like the coast was clear, there wasn't anyone around the area. So he walks to the small wall of the pad and looks over the ledge to see how high up they were. He saw the enormous roots to this gigantic tree that was the royal palace of Jurai. He figured they had to be at least a couple hundred yards up.  
Daimyo suddenly heard a noise behind him and spun around, instinctively taking a fighting position to face this sudden noise. He saw there were three men, he could only assume they were guards of this palace. They didn't have guns, but they were armed with staffs.  
  
"An assassin! Protect the Princesses!" One of the guards cried out.  
  
Daimyo looks around himself to see if they were seeing someone else nearby. Seeing nobody else there, he looks at the guards and points to himself in question to their assumption. The guards rush him, knowing there wasn't time to explain Daimyo would show them the error in their judgment. The first guard to reach Daimyo moves to strike Daimyo's head, calling his opponents move before he could execute his attack, Daimyo leg sweeps the guard, sending him to the ground. The other two guards engaged him at the same time. Daimyo dodged their attacks by backing up and moving his body out of harms way. He was able to predict their moves by seeing the beginning movements of their arms. He was merely toying with these guards, hoping that they would eventually figure out they weren't going to beat him and give up.  
  
* Wait. There's a problem with that plan. These soldiers believe they are fighting for an honorable cause, so their pride will never allow them to give in to defeat. * This thought entered Daimyo's head.  
  
"Alright then, if you won't give up, then I'll have to fight you for real!" He declared to his attackers.  
  
One of the guards went for an over the head strike with his staff. He brought it down with all his strength to connect it with Daimyo's head. The guard lost his concentration in the fight for a moment when he was surprised to see Daimyo stop his swing so suddenly with his left hand. This distraction was more than enough for Daimyo to take advantage of. Daimyo pushes forward on the staff to loosen the guards grip, then slams his right hand down onto the tip of the staff to send it rocketing into the guards chin. With that guard falling to the floor there was only one left standing. Both of them were now armed with a staff.  
Both combatants circle one another, each trying to size the other one up. The guard knew that his opponent was definitely a skilled assassin, so he had to think of a good attack to try to overpower him somehow.  
The guard rushed toward Daimyo with the end of his staff pointed toward his opponent. The soldier gave a steady charging cry while he rushed toward Daimyo like a medieval knight jousting. Daimyo twirled his staff around in front of him to show off a little bit, then stopped and tossed the staff toward the guard. The guard bats the wayward staff away before it connects with his face.  
With the guard momentarily distracted, Daimyo charges in and grabs the end of the guards staff and pulls back hard. The guard looses his footing and falls into Daimyo's backhand that he tossed to take the guard down. With the guard on the ground Daimyo, lifts his right leg to bring it down onto the guard. Suddenly a blow lands onto the back of his head and he looses his balance and falls to the ground.  
After hitting the ground, he feels a blow from the tip of a staff hitting him in the ribs. Followed soon after by a kick to the back. Daimyo looked up and saw a guard that must have gotten back up and sneaked behind him somehow. Soon the other two guards joined in on Daimyo's beating.  
  
* How can this be? They are only guards! That is the lowest opponent anyone can face and now I loose to them as well!! * The thought ran into his mind, humiliating him even more.  
  
"Stop!" A familiar voice cried out to the guards.  
  
The guards look to the ship to see Sasami the second born princess of Jurai, had tears swelling up in her eyes.  
  
"Stop it please! He's our friend!"  
  
The guards back away from Daimyo and kneel down. "Forgive us princess Sasami, we misunderstood his intentions."  
  
Sasami didn't seem to even hear their words of regret, she ran quickly to Daimyo to help him up.  
  
"Daimyo are you alright?!" She asked scared that he had been injured badly from the beating she saw coming out of the ship.  
  
Daimyo pulled his arm away from her grasp and turned to look away from her, she knew that his pride was again hurt. She wanted to say something to comfort him, but she didn't know if any words could comfort him at the moment. All she could do was stand up and watch him get up on his own and walk over to the wall of the pad. He just stood there in thought over what had again happened to him.  
Ayeka and Mihoshi had also seen the beating that Daimyo had taken when they all came out together. Mihoshi stood there with concern for Daimyo written upon her face, with the slight signs of her coming close to crying for him. Ayeka on the other hand seemed to just have a small smile on her face. She didn't like or trust Daimyo, after all he was from Draka, she knew full and well what kind of monsters lived on that planet. Seeing Daimyo beaten was almost like seeing Voog himself being beaten. Somehow that had brought comfort to Ayeka.  
Ayeka descended from the ships ramp and walked over to the guards who were still kneeling. They seemed to be worried about being punished for their misjudgment of Daimyo's intent.  
  
"You are forgiven for your misjudgment. You are dismissed."  
  
Ayeka walks on, as the guards rise from the ground. One of the guards walks over toward Daimyo, who still hadn't said anything after the fight.  
  
"Forgive us for the misunderstanding sir. You are a very capable warrior and I respect your skills as a fighter. I have shamed myself for using a dishonorable tactic on a respectful fighter, but I had the welfare of the princesses in mind. I am sorry."  
  
The guard turned and walked away after making his apology to Daimyo. The guard could tell from Daimyo's fighting that he was a proud warrior and that he most likely wouldn't forgive him for a long while. Daimyo remained fixated on the horizon, not wanting to look anyone in the eyes right now.  
  
"Come on Daimyo, I'll show you around the palace." Sasami suggested, hoping to cheer him back up.  
  
Daimyo merely turned around and began to walk towards the doorway that was in front of them.  
  
***************  
  
"AYEKA!!" Her mother Misaki cries out seconds before giving Ayeka one of her infamous bear hugs.  
  
"Ha. . ha. . .hello mother." She replies patting her mother's back.  
  
"Oh Ayeka I've missed you so much. I just can't stand to be apart from you for so long."  
  
"I missed you too mother."  
  
Misaki breaks the hug and looks meanly at Ayeka. Feeling her mother's anger growing, she decides that she can't win this battle. "Mommy! I missed you so much Mommy!" Ayeka says in the most childlike voice she can muster.  
  
Misaki's face turns to total joy. "Oh, my little Ayeka!"  
  
"My Mommy!"  
  
Misaki pulls her in for an even more forceful hug. Ayeka makes a couple of gasping sounds as her mother continues the crushing hug.  
  
"Welcome home Ayeka."  
  
Ayeka recognized the sound of her father's voice. The barely emotional tone of his voice when he spoke in public was still there to greet her arrival home. Misaki released Ayeka to see if she wanted to hug her father.  
  
"Thank you Father. It's good to see both of you again. If you'll excuse me I have something I need to take care of."  
  
As Ayeka walked off, her father was about to scold her for not saying more to him, but figuring that she was now at home, he was happy.  
  
* Well at least she finally came to her senses, I don't know what she was thinking, staying on earth with a mere boy who wouldn't help the empire in the slightest bit. Since she's here, I could find her a husband, one that is worthy of being an heir to the throne of Jurai. * Asuza thought to himself.  
  
******************  
  
"Common Daimyo this way." Sasami said pulling his hand to take him in the direction she was giving to tour.  
  
They walk through a door to a hallway that was huge, the ceiling seemed to be a hundred feet up. It was several meters across to the opposite wall. The structure of the ceiling was supported by huge pillars that lined up with the carpet that was in the center that ran the length of the great hall.  
  
"This is the great hall, my mother has been designing it's construction for a long while, but it doesn't look like their near finishing it though."  
  
"Hmm." Daimyo replied.  
  
Sasami was able to tell that he was still down about what had occurred nearly ten minutes ago, so she tried to think of something to show him that would cheer him up.  
  
"Hey, I've got an idea, how about we head to the kitchen and see if they have anything for us to eat. Would you like that Daimyo?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
As Sasami dragged Daimyo around the palace he had noticed that the guards weren't fearful of Sasami's presence. Could their way of ruling be better than what ruler had assumed the throne on Draka? Could they have control over their empire with peace instead of fear?  
  
* Why do I feel like this? I should be in awe at such beauty in a palace, but I do not. I feel. . . .more like disgust for this place. Why? *  
  
"Daimyo, is something wrong?"  
  
Sasami's question derailed his train of thought. "N. .no nothings wrong Sasami. You know I really don't feel like eating anything. Maybe I could go to a room or something to rest."  
  
"Oh. . .ok." Sasami said trying not to sound disappointed. "Just follow me, I know a great room for you to stay in. You'll like it."  
  
********************  
  
Two great doors open into a room that seemed to go up and down for a long ways. Ayeka walks in and looks around. There are trees in spots to themselves, across a narrow bridge was another. This was where the space trees were kept. She walked around to different platforms in the great deep room, making her way to where she wanted to go. Finally she had come to the tree she was looking for, to do what she had made the trip back to her home planet for. She had come to the tree of Tsunami.  
The tree itself was surrounded by a small pond to keep it's roots damp for it to live for however long it would be able to live. Ayeka remained near the edge of the pond, with no way to get closer to the tree without being soaked, she kneeled down and clapped her hands together to begin praying to the goddess Tsunami.  
  
"Oh, Goddess Tsunami. You who created our people, you who created the space trees, please hear my prayer." She spoke softly aloud.  
  
A sudden gust of wind blew Ayeka's hair toward her face, as tiny lights began to twirl from the ground up. The light's circled around to create a small tornado, which took on a more human form. There standing before her was the goddess Tsunami. She stood on the water of the pond, making the water look like a solid floor to stand on.  
  
"Princess Ayeka." The goddess whispered softly.  
  
"Goddess Tsunami. I come here today to ask you. ."  
  
"I know why you have come here, Princess Ayeka." She interrupted.  
  
"You do?" She asked in somewhat disbelieve, but more out of fear.  
  
"Yes, you have come to ask something of me. Have you not?"  
  
"Yes, I have. What is. . . .your answer?"  
  
"My answer to your request is. . . .no."  
  
Ayeka looked at Tsunami as though her own goddess that she worshipped had betrayed her. "No?" She questioned.  
  
"No, I will not give you more power Princess Ayeka. You seek more power to extract your vengeance upon a man and I cannot allow you to do that."  
  
"Why? Why do you not offer to help me? I am one of your children! I was. . . .I was desecrated and in my time of need you didn't help me! Now I come to ask you to help me become stronger to punish him and you will turn your back onto me!"  
  
"Ayeka, I want you to consider what you are asking. You wish for more than punishment on him, you wish for his total destruction, as someone who cares, I do not want to nurture your thirst for revenge. Your hatred will only consume you Ayeka. Please morn what has happened to you and abandon your hate. If you continue to follow your thirst for vengeance it may cost you more than you are willing to lose."  
  
"I don't care about any costs, I've lost everything already! Can't you see, I cannot get married now; no man would love me, not after they find out what happened to me! I was saving myself for the man that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with and now I cannot give him anything!"  
  
"Please Ayeka, remember my words. Abandon your hate, or you may lose more than you want too." With that the goddess disperses into tiny lights and they fade away.  
  
Ayeka, still kneeled down, clenched her fists tightly, her anger building up inside of her. She had no other means of gaining enough power to challenge Voog, she had hoped Tsunami would have seen her plight of despair and offer her some of her power to destroy that evil. Now she was betrayed by her own goddess.  
  
She stands up. "BLAST YOU TSUNAMI!!" She curses at the tree.  
  
She turns around and walks off in frustration and anger. They were both feelings she was becoming very familiar with, since those were the only feelings she had left now. She could not feel love from her Tenchi, how could she, if she couldn't even welcome his touch. She had to have her vengeance, there was nothing else but Voog's destruction that would be able to release her from her hatred. But the question now was how would she accomplish that goal. She didn't have the power to withstand him.  
  
* Wait. * An idea popped into her head. * Tenchi has the power of the Light Hawk Wings, perhaps I can convince him to go back to Draka with me and I can let him kill Voog for me. Seeing that monster die at the hands of the man that I love may be just as good as myself killing him. It could work, I'll have to think this over more. *  
  
*****************  
  
"Hmm" Escaped from the smiling lips of a being that existed in a higher plane of existence than most creatures could dream of. This being had the name of Lady Tokimi.  
  
"What is so amusing Lady Tokimi?" Her servant D3 asked, materializing before her.  
  
"Tsunami may be making this too easy. A window of opportunity has opened."  
  
"What are your orders my lady?"  
  
"No, I will take care of this myself."  
  
"As you will my lady."  
  
********************  
  
"No, get away from me you heathen!" Ayeka yelled.  
  
She was dreaming once again that she was back on Draka in the prison block that she was held captive. Her dream seemed so real, she could smell the dampness of the area, she could feel the mildew in the air and felt the despair that was abound in the atmosphere.  
Standing before her was Voog. She could not see his face, for it was cast in shadow from the way the lighting of the block. But she knew it was him, from the way the man moved and from the way he laughed. She could never forget the laugh of the creature who showed her the horrors of the nature of man. She was once again unable to move under his power.  
  
"Now my dear." Voog spoke, reaching his hand out toward her.  
  
"No, don't touch me! Tenchi! Tsunami! Anyone help me!!" She cried out closing her eyes, knowing that there wouldn't be anyone to come to her rescue.  
  
Suddenly she feels the floor give way underneath her, she opens her eyes to see what was the cause of her lose of feeling the ground. She sees the cell block disintegrating in front of her and Voog is disappearing as well. Within seconds there is darkness, then Ayeka begins to fall. She cannot see where she is heading and she cannot judge how far she is falling without seeing anything around her.  
She gently lands in a field of flowers. Upon looking up she seeks a clear blue sky overhead. Sitting up, she looks around and sees flowers covering the landscape of a couple of hills she was laying in between. Her attention is grabbed by laughter coming from behind her. Turning around she sees a little girl around Sasami's age, perhaps younger, she was rolling in the flowers.  
  
"Excuse me? Where are we?" Ayeka asked in a near whisper to the child.  
  
" We are right here."  
  
Ayeka couldn't help but smile at the reply. "Yes I know we are here, but where exactly is here?"  
  
The little girl reaches behind her and holds out a crown made of some of the flowers. "Here I made this for you Ayeka."  
  
"Oh my thank you, you know I used to. . . ." Ayeka reached out for the crown, but stopped mid sentence when she realized the girl knew her name.  
  
"How. . .How do you know my name?"  
  
"I know a lot about you Ayeka. I know that you used to make crowns out of flowers like these when you were younger. I know that you love a man that you father doesn't want you to wed. I also know what happened to you on Draka. After Draka you came here to ask Tsunami to grant you more power. Am I correct?"  
  
Ayeka was stunned, she didn't know how to react to this situation. Where a little girl seemed to know her whole life and Ayeka didn't even know where she was.  
  
"Tsunami refused to help you didn't she, that's the way she usually is. She tells her children that she will always be there to protect them and when one of them needs her help she doesn't lift a finger."  
  
"What is this?! Is this some kind of joke Tsunami?! You don't think that I have suffered enough!" She yelled at the girl.  
  
"I am not Tsunami Princess Ayeka. I would like to offer you help."  
  
"H. .Help. From you?"  
  
"Yes, I can grant you the power that you seek. I can give you enough power to make Voog plead for your forgiveness, to squirm at your feet like the snake that he is. Or you can crush him in an instant, like an insect under your foot."  
  
"You can." She began to reach out to embrace this small child for giving her what she desired, but she backed up in doubt of her new friend.  
  
"Tell me, why do you want to help me so much?"  
  
"Because your despair that you felt on Draka caught my attention. I watched you endure the misery of that place and I felt like I wanted to help you out."  
  
"What is. .your name?"  
  
The child grins. "What's the matter Ayeka? Are you afraid your making a deal with the devil?"  
  
Ayeka stepped back in disbelief. "Are. . .you. . ."  
  
"No Ayeka. I am not the devil. I am someone who is offering you your chance for revenge, but if you don't want to trust me, then I can just end this dream and we'll never have this conversation again." The child holds her hand up to snap her fingers.  
  
"No! Wait. I. . .I accept your offer. But what is it that you want me to do for you?" She asked, knowing there had to be a price.  
  
"I don't want anything from you Ayeka."  
  
"You. . . .you want nothing in return?"  
  
"You don't have anything to offer that I would want. So let's call this a gift from a friend."  
  
"So how do I get this power?"  
  
"Well that's easy Ayeka. Just turn around and walk through the door."  
  
Ayeka was about to ask what she meant, but she turned and saw there was a door standing a couple of feet behind her.  
  
"When you walk through the door, you will awake to see that it is morning, you will remember this dream. But be careful, you won't feel the power that you have received immediately, but it will be there. Soon after, the knowledge of how to use the power will come to you, then you can seek your revenge."  
  
Ayeka grabs the knob to the door. "Thank you. Whoever you are." Finishing her sentence, she opens the door and steps through.  
  
"No problem Ayeka." The little girl grins. "No problem at all." She begins to laugh.  
  
The serene landscape of the dream disappears, the girl remains smiling. The girl becomes blurry, her form grows and expands more. A new surrounding comes into light, a large room with an altar-like structure in the center. The small girls form is centered above the altar, she comes back into focus to reveal lady Tokimi.  
  
"Now to work on reclaiming my Dragon." She spoke to herself.  
  
*****************************  
  
Images filled the dreamers head. Images of past glories and battles the warrior fought and came out on top. Numerous people faced him and wasn't able to offer much of a challenge to his fighting prowess. On his world he was once called the So of the Dragon, thought to be unbeatable and unkillable. Now here he was first beaten by a woman who he was able to fight back easily when he first arrived on earth, now he was degraded more by being defeated by mere guards.  
Doubt in himself seemed to be plaguing his dreams this night. He felt himself getting weaker, but he couldn't figure out what was making him weaker. Could it have been these worlds that he has been too? He just didn't know.  
  
"The So of the Dragon." A feminine voice uttered in his dream.  
  
The images vanished and a woman appeared in front of Daimyo. He could tell from looking at her clothing that she must have been a woman of high stature. Perhaps a princess or queen of some kind. He couldn't tell if he should be bowing or not.  
  
"Who wants to know?" He replied.  
  
"Someone who knows you. I know more about you than you yourself know."  
  
"I'll take your word for it."  
  
"What if I told you I can make you the So of the Dragon again. In fact, I can make it to where you have unlocked your full potential Daimyo. You possess the Dark Dragon Scales, but you have only seen a fraction of it's full force. With my help, you won't have any equals in the entire universe. All you have to do is come with me Daimyo. What do you say?"  
  
"No thanks lady. I don't need your help, I can get back to the way I was on my own. I just need to work harder and train more. Besides, I don't want power or anything to do with the scales."  
  
"Perhaps I should give you some time to think about it. I don't need your answer right away. If you change your mind, I'll find you."  
  
"Don't be holding your breath lady. Who are you anyway?"  
  
"You will know who I am in time. Until we meet again."  
  
The dream fades and he awakens to the morning sun shining into the windows of the room that Sasami had shown him to be his for the visit. Judging from the amount of light coming into the windows he slept longer than he wanted too.  
  
* Boy talk about a crazy dream. Weird lady, what on Draka made me dream about that kind of dream. But then again with what happened yesterday, I don't think I really wanted to wake up. *  
  
Realizing that he wasn't going to die in his sleep to save him from the humiliation that he would be feeling today, he decided to get out of the bed. He expected Sasami to be knocking on his door soon to try to show him more of the palace. He appreciated her attempts to cheer him up, but he just didn't feel like he was going to be cheered up. He just need some time to himself to get his head cleared up from whatever mistakes that he had been making. Then he would become the undefeatable So of the Dragon once again. But until then, he would most likely be in a grumpy mood. He went to reach for the door handle, when there was suddenly a couple of knocks on the door.  
  
"Daimyo. It's Sasami. I was going to show you the rest of the Palace today."  
  
* Huh, that's some timing. * He thought.  
  
"Well time to face the day." He spoke softly to himself, before opening the door.  
  
Thank you for reading my story thus far. I hope you are enjoying it. I will begin working on my next chapter soon. 


	12. Tormented Souls

I do not own any of the Tenchi Muyo characters and I am not making any money from writing this story. I am writing this story for the fun of it, so please don't sue me. Thank you.  
  
Shogun Muyo - Chapter 12: Tormented Souls  
  
Two great doors leading to the great hall open, Sasami, Daimyo, and Mihoshi are walking around the castle taking in the sights of the royal palace of Jurai. As they pass through the doors, they walk into a garden that had one of those mazes shaped from the brush.  
  
"Oh, wow, this place is so beautiful!" Mihoshi chimed.  
  
"Yeah, I used to come to this garden to play with my mother or Ayeka. It's still the way that I remember it." The princess added, seeming to drift off into her memories.  
  
"Do you want to show me the maze Sasami? I would love to see it." Mihoshi asked.  
  
Sasami looked at Daimyo to see if he wanted to walk inside of the maze, but he didn't seem to be there with them. Since the fight yesterday he seemed to be distancing himself more from them. He seemed to be becoming like he was when they first found him at the house on earth. She had to try something.  
  
"Hey Daimyo, did you want to go into the garden with us?" Sasami invited.  
  
Daimyo didn't answer; he just looked away from her. She felt her face sadden at his response to her attempt to get him to cheer up. She never liked it when people she knew were unhappy and she couldn't do anything to cheer them up.  
  
"Come on Sasami, you can show me around the garden and Daimyo can stay here." Mihoshi broke the silence. "It'll be fun."  
  
"Alright." Sasami barely agreed.  
  
Mihoshi takes Sasami's hand and begins joyfully running toward the entry to the maze. Sasami looks back toward Daimyo as she is dragged behind Mihoshi. As the two girls disappear into the maze, Daimyo is left alone with his thoughts.  
  
He looked at the people who were tending to the garden in the room. He noticed that they didn't seem to tense up at all around the small princess. Didn't they fear doing something wrong that would offend the princess, which would cause them punishment? He couldn't understand why the strongest people of the planet were in power, but there wasn't any struggles for power, no war zones or destruction to any buildings. His world was so different from this one. Why did his people end up in misery and this planet was prosperous and peaceful.  
  
* I just can't understand what happened to my people. Sure there was disagreement when the emperor took power and there was a civil war which has still split his world. But this world, the people seemed to just accept these people as their rulers. These people would probably think they were better than mine if they ever saw his world. *  
  
His thoughts were stopped when he noticed one of the people in the room seemed to be looking at him. No, he wasn't just looking he was staring at him. The man saw the small jewel on Daimyo's forehead and seemed to be intrigued with it. Daimyo took his staring the wrong way.  
  
"What are you looking at?!!" He snapped at the gardener.  
  
The gardener was visibly shaken by Daimyo's sudden outburst to his staring. He backed up and quickly walked away from him.  
  
* That is what I am to these people. Nothing more than a savage animal in their eyes! *  
  
Daimyo turns back to the bench he was sitting on and releases his anger in a drop kick to the bench. The bench crumbles to the ground as it is split in half by the force of Daimyo's blow. He looks around to see the few people around cautiously looking at him. Feeling the built up frustration that was bottling inside of him, he kicked at a part of the bench laying on the ground as he walked toward the door.  
  
Sasami emerges from the exit end of the maze, she rushed out of the maze when she heard the commotion in the area. She saw Daimyo violently pushing open the doors and walking back inside the palace. Mihoshi follows Sasami out of the maze, but doesn't see Daimyo's exit.  
  
"What was causing all that noise out here?" Mihoshi asked in her innocent tone of voice.  
  
"Daimyo." Sasami whispers in sadness.  
  
"Hey, what's wrong Sasami? You look like your kind of. . . ." Mihoshi breathes in sharply. "Say Sasami, do you have feelings for Daimyo?"  
  
Sasami's head lifts up suddenly, surprised that Mihoshi had just asked her that question. She feels her face begin to blush as she tries to hid it with her hands on her face.  
  
"Oh my, Sasami you have a crush on Daimyo don't you?"  
  
"Mihoshi, please don't say it so loud." She asked looking around the area to see if anyone heard the detective first class.  
  
"Oh that's so adorable. A first love." Mihoshi brings her hands together and stares dreamily into the air.  
  
"Please Mihoshi, don't tell anyone. Everyone will just tell me I'm to young to know what love is. Please promise you won't say anything."  
  
"Well I think you should know what love is Sasami, everyone knows what it feels like. Don't worry, I won't say anything, I promise." Mihoshi finished with a small giggle.  
  
Sasami releases a sigh of relieve. "Thank you Mihoshi. I think we should go find Daimyo now, I think something is bothering him, but he won't tell me what's wrong."  
  
"Ok, we'll go find him. And don't worry too much about Daimyo, I'm sure he'll tell you what's wrong when he wants to talk."  
  
Sasami nods in agreement with Mihoshi and the two head for the door to find where the wayward Daimyo had disappeared to in the palace.  
  
******************************************  
  
Ayeka sat alone in her room. She had spent the morning there to see if the strange dream she experienced the night before held any truth. And as the dream said, she began to gradually feel more powerful. The knowledge of how her new power worked began to enter into her mind as well. She understood what the source that fed her her new power was her anger for Voog. The more anger and hatred she felt for him, the more her power would grow.  
  
Ayeka desired to see her new power at work. But not wanting to lose control of her power, she would do something small. She held her hands a foot apart with the palms of each hand facing each other. She concentrated on making the energy flow from her hands. At first a purple spark arced between her hands, she deepened her concentration, which resulted in the addition to several bolts of the purple lightning that was contained between her hands. A grin appeared on the eldest princesses face, she felt this power flowing freely from her. It seemed that she would indeed have her vengeance upon the creature that carried the name of Voog.  
The sound of her bedroom door broke the princesses concentration. She put her hands down by her side and hoped that the person entering the room didn't hear the crackle of her power.  
  
"Didn't you ever hear of knocking!?" The princess blurted out without seeing who it was.  
  
She turned to the person at the door and realized that it was her aunt, lady Funaho.  
  
"Oh, of course, I'm sorry I didn't knock before entering Ayeka. I was just wanting to see my niece since she has finally returned home. I guess my manners failed to come into mind from the joy of seeing you here again." Funaho explained.  
  
"No, I am sorry, I should not have spoken out so harshly. It was a long trip here and I guess I am still irritable from our journey back."  
  
"So is there no morning hug for your aunt?" She asked.  
  
Ayeka nearly giggled like a little girl at her aunt's mocking tone. She walked over and embraced her aunt.  
  
* Hmm, that's funny. Ayeka carries herself differently since I last saw her. But then again she has been on an extended vacation on earth. So perhaps she needs time to get back into habit. * Funaho thought to herself.  
  
"So tell me my niece, what made you decide to come back home? I only ask because when we last met you demanded we let you remain there. Honestly I thought you and little Sasami may have had a little crush on Tenchi." Funaho said, trying to keep a straight face, knowing Ayeka would become embarrassed.  
  
"Oh, well, I. . .I had something I had to take care of here. That and it has been a while since we have last been together, so I took this opportunity to visit with mother and father."  
  
"Visit?" Funaho questioned raising an eyebrow. "You mean you plan on returning to earth soon?"  
  
"Yes, but please don't tell my mother or father just yet. I was planning on telling them tonight at dinner."  
  
"Well I suggest you spend plenty of time with your parents now so your announcement won't meet with to much objection." Funaho said in regards to Ayeka's father.  
  
"Yes I will aunt Funaho. Thank you for agreeing to let me tell them myself."  
  
Funaho smiles. "That my dear is what aunt's are for. Well, I should be going, there is so much work to be done when you're a queen of Jurai. I will see you later tonight at dinner." She finished walking toward Ayeka's bedroom door.  
  
"Oh, I almost forgot. Good luck with your announcement tonight Ayeka." Funaho added from her doorway.  
  
With her aunt's exit from her room, Ayeka walked over to a window. She looked outside to the beauty of her planet in thought.  
  
* I won't need luck tonight. I won't let father keep me from doing what I must do. Not father, not even Tsunami herself is going to keep me from getting Voog. I will have my vengeance. * Ayeka declared, clenching her fists together.  
  
********************************  
  
Progressively the dreams and the sense of urgency were getting stronger by the day. The pain that accompanied the strange dreams cemented the urgency of whatever message the dreams carried within them. The problem was she had no idea what the message could be.  
Today was different than the days that had passed before. She could now feel some of the pain from her dreams when she was awake. It felt like a needle poking her in the brain, but there wasn't anything that she could do to make the pain stop. The pain wasn't as bad as it felt in the dreams, but the level of pain was just a little past annoying.  
  
"Ouch." Ryoko cried from the sudden pinch of pain. She had been lying on the living room couch doing her usual routine of being lazy. Her teeth clenched each other and fire seemed to burn in her eyes. "What is with you!" She yelled at the gems in her wrists.  
  
* At first I thought I was just having some crazy dreams, nothing to tell anyone about. But these things are hurting me when I'm awake. I don't understand this! Why?! *  
  
"Oouu" She cried again from the sudden feeling of pain. "Aaarrgghhh. That's it. I've had enough!"  
  
She phased from the couch and reappeared in front of Washu's lab door. She hesitated from opening the door for a few seconds.  
  
* I must be getting desperate if I'm going to Washu for this. Oouuu. * She thought as the pain shot again.  
  
With the last shot of pain, she tightly grabbed the knob and opened to door. She materialized in Washu's lab around all the sea life of other planets surrounding the area.  
  
"Washu?!" She yelled, knowing the scientist stayed within earshot of the door for announcements on when it was time to eat.  
  
"Washu?!"  
  
"Over here!"  
  
Ryoko hovered in the direction Washu's voice came from. She looked past tanks to see where the small scientist was at. Passing one of the many tanks, she found Washu in her normal working conditions. She sat on her floating futon typing information into her database on her holo- computer.  
  
"What can I do for you little Ryoko?" She asked, not breaking her concentration from her work.  
  
"I came to get your oouu. . . .help."  
  
Washu's typing stops. She turns around and looks at her daughter in a confused way.  
  
"My daughter is asking for help?" She said in a distant voice. "Oh no. I should check to see that the universe isn't beginning to unravel!" She said returning to her computer and typing madly onto her keyboard.  
  
"Hey I'm serious. Oouuch."  
  
Washu turns to Ryoko. "So am I. By the way, what's with this new word in your vocabulary that your using. Oouuch is it?"  
  
"Well it's not by my choice. It's these stupid gems, they've been causing me pain ever since I got all three back. Ooouuhh. And it's driving me nuts!"  
  
"So your saying the gems are the source of your pain, eh. I'd like to help you, I really would, but I can't figure out the gems completely myself. They're a mystery to me, I can't define what their source of energy is, so I couldn't help you determine what's causing you this pain. Perhaps you can see if Tenchi could help you out."  
  
"Huh? If you can't help me, how could Tenchi help me with these?"  
  
"You can give him back one of the gems into the hilt of the Tenchi-ken. You can work your way down progressively with the gems to see how many of them you have to give back before this pain of yours is gone."  
  
"Aahh. Well I guess I don't have any other choice huh?" Ryoko said rubbing the back of her head.  
  
"None that my genius could help you with at the moment. Now if you'll excuse me I have to finish compiling this data and I would like to do it before dinner."  
  
Ryoko turns to walk away. "Yes your majesty." She says under her breathe.  
  
"Mother is the word you meant to use Ryoko." Washu hollered to her.  
  
Ryoko's face cringed. "Yes mother." Ryoko said faking the pleasant face she showed her mother.  
  
Walking back toward the door, Ryoko muttered other things under her breathe. Washu decided to ignore it all. She had work to do and little time to finish it up in.  
  
*******************  
  
A body of a soldier falls to the floor after he was slammed into the wall. Botaro was in the center of the training ring, having finished the exercise with five soldiers fighting him at once. He looked over the dead or seriously injured soldiers that he fought and looked at the soldiers who were present during the fight to demonstrate his point to this company of soldiers.  
  
"Weak." He said looking over the soldiers still standing. "This company will double the exercises of it's training to get it's strength up. Our empire is being threatened at this moment and we must have all our soldiers at full strength! Am I understood?!"  
  
A chorus of "Yes Sir's" rings throughout the training area, as the soldier's begin doing various exercises.  
  
Botaro, satisfied enough with his soldiers renewed energy, turns to leave. Walking past the soldiers on the ground, he points to a soldier standing guard at the door.  
  
"Clean this mess up."  
  
"Sir." The soldier replies, saluting his superior.  
  
As he leaves the men to keep up their appearance of strength, Botaro's mind wonders.  
  
* My men must be at full strength, if what my father believes to be true, then I will not appear weak in his eyes if any other general's men out perform my own. If Daimyo is truly this dragon of legend, then I shall kill him with my bare hands. I shall feel my so called brothers blood cover my hands, then I will have my fathers utmost respect. * A grin appears on his face.  
  
Feeling more confident in his abilities Botaro walked around the castle for the remainder of the day feeling eleven feet tall.  
  
****************  
  
Tenchi sat alone in his room, correcting a mistake that he had found in his math assignment that was given over summer vacation. The day was a quiet day, which rarely occurred as of late with all the girls in the house. His life has been turned upside down the day he disobeyed his grandfather and accidentally released Ryoko. But thinking about it now, he couldn't really picture his life going back to the way it was. Unknown to him one of the girls that possessed incredible powers phased her head through his door. She saw that his back was to her, so a playful smile found it's home on her face. She phased through the door and began floating toward him. Sinking through the floor to where her head was barely exposed to the room, she navigated around to the front of Tenchi without him noticing.  
  
* Good, he hasn't noticed me. It's time to take a break from your homework Tenchi. * She thought with a devious grin.  
  
As Tenchi sat at the desk writing in an answer to one of the problems, suddenly a face comes through the top of the desk looking at him.  
  
"Hi Tenchi." She greeted coming through the desktop.  
  
Terrified of the face suddenly appearing, Tenchi yelled, leaned back in his chair too far and fell back onto the floor. Seeing Tenchi's reaction to her playful stunt caused Ryoko to phase through the desk and get by Tenchi's side.  
  
"Ryoko! I told you not to do that!" He yelled as soon as he realized who it was.  
  
"Hey, com'on you're not mad are you?" She asked, helping him back up.  
  
Remembering to be more patient with Ryoko in his promise to himself. "No."  
  
"Hey that's great. Say Tenchi, do you happen to have your sword around?"  
  
"Uh, yeah. I keep it here in my room. Why do you ask?"  
  
"Could you get it out for me?" She asked, her face flashed a small amount of pain that Tenchi failed to notice.  
  
"Alright, was there any reason why you want to see it?" He asked picking it out from the drawer in his desk.  
  
"Yes, I would like to return a gem or two into it."  
  
Tenchi stood there dumbfounded. "But. . .I just returned the gems to you around a week ago. Why do you want to put them back?"  
  
Deciding that her pride came before truth, she had come up with another reason. "I really don't have a need for all three of the gems back, so I figured I'd put one back into the sword. After all I'm not used to having all this power back, do you want me to accidentally blow the house up?" She asked, knowing that she would get his cooperation after that question.  
  
"NO! I mean. . . .no I wouldn't. So you want to return a gem back to the sword, so how do we do that?"  
  
"Just point the sword hilt toward me and pray one of the gems returns to the sword."  
  
"Oh, so it works both ways." He said, looking down at the sword. "That's how it works." She replied.  
  
Closing her eyes and extending her hands out toward Tenchi, Ryoko began the transfer of one of the gems into the Tenchi-ken. Tenchi held the sword out toward her as she had instructed him to do so. The gem implanted into the base of her neck vanishes in a glow of light and appears in the hilt of the sword. Ryoko and Tenchi both open their eyes, as Ryoko waits to see if the pain that had been building up within the week has changed.  
  
* I. . . . .I don't feel the pain. I think Washu was right. It worked! * Ryoko thought as joy found it's way onto her face.  
  
Not thinking about it, she clings herself onto Tenchi in an unexpected reaction. Tenchi patted her back, not wanting to upset her in whatever moment that she was in.  
  
"Oh, thanks a lot Tenchi. You did good."  
  
Not knowing what he did to help her so much, he scratched the back of his head. "Sure, no problem."  
  
*************************  
  
As the elegant food was placed before her, Sasami wasn't accustomed to having the food served to her, she had grown used to cooking the food for everyone on Earth. She would have to resist the urge to help clear the table after dinner was finished, it wasn't proper for royalty to help with the servants work.  
  
The family was at the table, Azura, Misuki, and Funaho sat together. Azura sat at the end, with both his wives sitting on opposite sides of each other. Ayeka sat next to her mother Misuki and Sasami sat net to her aunt Funaho. Daimyo's place at the table was at the other end, facing Azura.  
  
Daimyo looked at the food that was on his plate. It looked like it would be an exquisite meal, but he noticed that there weren't any eating utensils placed where he was sitting.  
  
He looked around the plate and even scanned side to side looking in the floor to see if they had fallen into the floor.  
  
"Is something wrong?" Ayeka whispered to him leaning toward him.  
  
"There aren't any chopsticks here?"  
  
"Yes, I told the maids setting the table to forgo the chopsticks. I figured your people ate with their hands, or maybe you just stuff your faces into your food." She replied before sipping her tea.  
  
Daimyo tightened his fist underneath the table. If it had been anyone else saying that about his people, he would have killed them. But since it was Sasami's sister, it would cause the poor child psychological damage to see her sister beaten to death in front of her.  
  
"Some of my people can't afford to eat at all. Most people aren't as fortunate as you, your highness."  
  
"Not my fault your people are barbarians." She retorted.  
  
Daimyo was having trouble keeping his frustration hidden from everyone else, with Ayeka's words causing his face to snarl up, he was about to yell at her when his actions to do so were interrupted.  
  
"So. . .Daimyo is it?" Azura spoke. "Tell me, how is it I didn't meet you when I last visited my daughters on earth?"  
  
"He came to the house around five weeks ago father. So he came after you visited us on earth." Sasami answered.  
  
"Oh, I see. Thank you Sasami, but I would like to speak with Daimyo for now."  
  
"Sorry father."  
  
"So Daimyo what planet do you come from?"  
  
"My planets name is Draka."  
  
"Draka? I can't say that I've heard of your world. Tell me what's your world like?"  
  
Daimyo gave pause to answering the kings question. "Well sir, it's currently going through some hard times. But people are trying to make it better."  
  
"You mean like war?" Azura questioned.  
  
"With all due respect sir, I would like to change the subject on my world." Daimyo responded. He didn't like the kings questioning about his world. But he could tell that the king wanted to press the issue about his world during his last question.  
  
"I was wanting to find out more about the man that is supposed to be body guarding my daughters. But I heard about your arrival here and you were beaten by three of our palace guards. Now I would think that someone who would be able to protect my two daughters would be able to handle three guards."  
  
"Forgive me sir, I was caught off guard by one of the guards. It will not happen again."  
  
"Yes it won't happen again, Ayeka and Sasami are now back home and are well protected here, so we will have someone return you to your Draka at the earliest time."  
  
Before any reaction could be made by anyone, Ayeka made her presence in the conversation known.  
  
"Actually father, Sasami and I were returning to Earth tomorrow."  
  
Azura's jaw drops open from Ayeka's interruption from him speaking, as well as from the shock of her defying him in front of an off-worlder. "To return to Earth with that. . .Boy?"  
  
"Yes father. Sasami and I are returning to Earth to stay with Tenchi. His name is Tenchi father, he isn't referred to as "That boy."  
  
"I forbid it Ayeka. Your place is here on Jurai to find a suitable husband for yourself."  
  
"You can forbid it all you want father, but I am going to return to Earth. I gave my word as a Jurian that I would return and I intend to make good on my promise."  
  
Azura's fist shakes the table as he hits it. "Ayeka! You will do as I say. ." Funaho places her hand on Azura's to get him to stop for a moment.  
  
"Husband? Perhaps we should allow Ayeka to return to Earth."  
  
"Funaho?" He asked, why expressed across his face.  
  
"I think Tenchi would be a great suitor for Ayeka. His heart is more caring than anyone I have ever met before and. .he is family." Funaho attempting to explain her point slowly to her surprised husband.  
  
"I think Tenchi would be a great husband to take care of my little Ayeka. But then again if my little girl gets married. . . . . .that would mean that I'm. . . . ." Mitzuki's eyes water up. "I'm getting oolllddd!" She finishes sobbing onto her husbands shoulder.  
  
Azura comforted his sulking wife by patting her on her shoulder, this wasn't the first time his wife cried from feeling old. The first time someone called her mam' caused her to go on a month long sulking spell. He didn't let his mind wonder back onto that month, it was incredibly hard to cheer his wife back up and run an empire at the same time.  
  
"But that boy has nothing to offer the Jurian empire any more strength. Ayeka should wed a prince from one of the neighboring empires to help strengthen ours more. I want the best for my daughter and wedding a noble prince instead of some boy on a backwater planet."  
  
"I'm returning to earth father, whether you like me to or not. And if you try to keep me here, I warn you, I will escape from this place and go somewhere where you will never find me and you will be publicly humiliated. Think of it father, your eldest daughter runs off to never return, wouldn't the other empires get a kick out of that? Which would sound worse, me wedding an earthling, or me leaving my home world for the rest of my life?"  
  
There was a long pause in conversation at the table. Azura looked angered at Ayeka for talking to him that way. He was also surprised that his daughter was so bold to stand up to him like that. She had never done something like that before.  
  
* Perhaps she has developed this disobedient behavior from that boy. I knew I shouldn't have let them remain on Earth when I first went to retrieve them. I thought Yosho could be trusted enough to teach his grandson to respect his elders. * Azura pondered.  
  
He took a deep breath and exhaled. "Very well Ayeka, I'll let you return to Earth, but if you wed that boy without my approval. . .I won't be responsible for my actions."  
  
"Of course. If you'll excuse me now father. I'm finished eating my dinner."  
  
Ayeka rises from her place at the table and walks out of the dinning hall. Azura's wives each reach over and caress his hands. They do this instinctively knowing their husband would be fuming from Ayeka's boldness toward him. With Ayeka's departure, Daimyo couldn't help but feel the kings gaze fall onto him. He thought that the king would think he had given some encouragement to Ayeka to stand up to her father like that. He felt that now would probably be the best time to take his leave as well.  
  
"Thank you very much for your hospitality and this excellent meal. If you will excuse me, I will take my leave."  
  
Azura's gaze was upon Daimyo the entire time it took him to get up from the table and out the door of the hall. Once outside the door Daimyo felt that he was able to exhale and catch his breathe. He didn't want to insult the whole planet by giving it's emperor a black eye or two. The whole atmosphere around the emperor was nearly more than he could stand. The emperor's insults to Daimyo also made him want to leave his sight, the way he presented the insults to him was masked in normal conversation to where it would be hard to make out in small talk.  
  
"At least now I see where Ayeka gets her kindness." He said in a whisper to himself, recalling the way she has been treating him since she meet him.  
  
Tonight's little trick she pulled on him, with giving him a meal and no eating utensils to use wouldn't have been insulting enough, she also had the nerve to treat him like a dog. So far his little visit on Jurai was getting to him, he was glad that he was leaving this planet in the morning. Seeing this place was an insult to his planet, these people carried themselves high, as if too good for any other people.  
  
********************  
  
Ryoko lay atop the roof of the house of the Masaki family, lying down onto a blanket she had taken with her. She stared up into the moon filled night, letting her mind wonder on the events that have happened lately. The fight with Ayeka, her disappearance, the way the house was, not knowing what had happened to her.  
  
* Tenchi. . .I remember that night you accidentally called me Ayeka. It was in that moment that I thought I had lost you. But then you showed me that you do want me in your life. * She thought crossing her arms across her chest, seemingly hugging herself.  
  
Then other thoughts came disturbing her joyous thoughts of Tenchi. The thoughts that seemed to puzzle and scare her the most.  
  
* Then again, you have been trying to tell me something. I couldn't understand what you were trying to say, but I understand the meaning of your message. * She thought while looking at the two gems in her wrists. * You were trying to tell me that a danger is coming. I don't know who or what is the cause of this danger, but I do know, that whatever it is.. . . .* She paused in her train of thought to cast her eyes toward the moon. * It lies just beyond the horizon. *  
  
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and my story thus far. If you would like to make a comment on my story, please feel free to e-mail me. All replies are welcomed. 


	13. Road to Destruction

I do not own any of the characters of Tenchi Muyo. I am also not making any money from writing this story. So please DON'T SUE ME!  
  
Shogun Muyo - Chapter 13 "Road to Destruction"  
  
It had been nearly a week and a day since Ayeka left for Jurai. It was getting nearly half way through the summer; Tenchi had spent the vacation training with Daimyo, thanks to his grandfather having to leave to America. But in the days with Daimyo's absence he was able to sleep a little longer, having woken up so early for a long while, caused him to sleep only thirty minutes longer than Daimyo would allow him too. But remembering Daimyo's departing words when he left for Jurai with Sasami and Ayeka, he trained hard still, which was why he was currently practicing at 5:30 in the morning.  
  
Tenchi was practicing his sword technique, he imagined striking the bokken at an opponent. The opponent he chose to imagine fighting was Daimyo, he would imagine that Daimyo would avoid his attack somehow and would try to adjust to his opponent's evasion of his attack.  
  
"That's a nice form you've developed Tenchi." A familiar voice made it's owner's presence known.  
  
He was concentrating on imagining his opponent that he failed to notice the presence of another person there. Stopping his training he turned to the red haired woman who walked up here to the training area.  
  
"Oh, good morning little Washu."  
  
"Good morning Tenchi, another early start I see."  
  
"Yeah, I couldn't sleep, used to getting up this early I guess. So what brings you out here this early in the morning?"  
  
"What? I need to have a reason to come out and see my favorite gene pig. Besides, I usually get an early start on the day Tenchi, keeps me ahead of everyone else in the scientific community. But actually this time I do have something that I wanted to tell you. I just picked up Mihoshi's ship entering the sol system, it appears Ayeka and the others are returning."  
  
"Oh, that's wonderful news little Washu. When will they arrive?"  
  
"Well judging from their speed, I would say sometime around lunch. So you have plenty of time to continue training, but then again. . ." She trailed off in her conversation and had a look about her that seemed to cry out trouble. She walks toward Tenchi, stopping at a distance short enough to breathe on him. He suddenly finds himself looking upon a teenage Washu close enough to kiss him. She hugs him around his neck to prevent him from stumbling backwards in surprise. Standing there, pressing herself against him, she continues what she was going to say.  
  
"Of course there's also plenty of time for you to spend with me Tenchi."  
  
"W. .W..Washu." Tenchi murmured out, his body trembling from discomfort.  
  
Washu lightly giggles. "That's what I like about you Tenchi. You're so innocent around women. But you can relax, I'm just playing with you." She finished letting go of him and returning to her normal appearance. "So you have enough time to continue training, but may I make one suggestion Tenchi?"  
  
Tenchi stood still waiting to see what she was going to suggest.  
  
"I would suggest you take a shower before they arrive though." She said holding her nose and waving her hand in front of her face.  
  
He realized that he was sweating from getting carried away in his training and could probably stand to use a bath before their arrival.  
  
"Haha. Yeah, you bet little Washu. Oh and thanks again for letting me know they were coming."  
  
"No problem Tenchi."  
  
Washu waves goodbye to Tenchi and heads back toward her lab. Tenchi couldn't help but smile at her antics, sure they were annoying, but his life would be boring without it. Returning his attention back to his bokken, Tenchi raises it back to ready position and begins training anew.  
  
*******************  
  
The eyelids of a beautiful sleeper open, bringing her back from her dreams to return to the world once more. She rolls over to the edge of her bed and sits up; she looks around at her surroundings and takes in the sights once again. Mireya had been given a room by Washu to sleep within her lab. Even with the passing of a few days usage of her new room, she still couldn't get used to the idea of such a huge space could be contained in such a small area. She rose off the bed and stretched her tired muscles, trying to get the rest of her body to wake up. She puts on some clothing that Washu had also supplied her, she had found the scientist to be a nice person. Although she had found the small geniuses examinations a little scary, which made her a little uncomfortable with Washu. Walking out the room that was provided to her, she walks into another part of Washu's lab that her room was joined to. She had to cut her way through Washu's lab in order to get back to the Masaki home, but didn't mind the inconvenience, she liked to look at the different animals that Washu had collected into her lab. She had found some of the different animals cute and adorable, but there was also a few that scared her when she first saw them. She cringes at the thought of a giant fish with lots of teeth that swiped at her when it first swam by. She was also embarrassed at how she screamed when it surprised her, causing Washu to laugh.  
  
"Oh, good morning."  
  
Washu's greeting to her knocked her out of her trance of thought.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see you. Good morning, miss Washu."  
  
"Please don't be so formal. You can just call me little Washu, remember." She replied smiling.  
  
Mireya had found it odd that she wanted to be called little Washu, when she first heard of how old she was from Tenchi. But, if that was what made her happy.  
  
"Yes, I forgot, thank you little Washu."  
  
"Aaahhh, I nearly forgot." Washu bonked her head with her knuckle. "I thought you'd like to know that the others are on their way back here to Earth. They should arrive here in a couple of hours."  
  
"Truly?"  
  
Washu smiled and nodded to her.  
  
Mireya's face seemed to come alive at the news of Ayeka's return. Washu hadn't seen her face look so joyous since she had met her.  
  
"Thank you." Mireya said before she walked away.  
  
Washu stood and watched her leave. She couldn't help but chuckle to herself. "Girls as bad for Ayeka as Ryoko is for Tenchi."  
  
Washu returned her attention back to the work at hand on her computer. Comfortably seating herself on her floating futon, she began typing away on her computer.  
  
"Just hope she doesn't get her heart broken."  
  
**********************  
  
"Mihoshi." The robotic voice of Ukonojo, her ships computer, called her attention away from her tea.  
  
"Yes, what is it Ukonojo?"  
  
"We are about to enter Earth's atmosphere. We should arrive at our destination in approximately 2.3 minutes. Shall I announce our arrival over the com, or would you like to announce it yourself?"  
  
"Um. . .that's ok Ukonojo, you can announce it. I'm so happy to be able to return to Earth again Ukonojo and I also get to see Tenchi again." Her face reddens a little at the thought of telling Ukonojo she was happy to see him again. She brings her hands to her mouth as she begins to giggle innocently in her chair.  
  
The cockpits door opens as the firstborn princess of Jurai walks in. Mihoshi looks behind her chair to see Ayeka. "Oh, Ayeka, Ukonojo was about to announce that we were about to land on earth in. . .um." She trailed off trying to figure how much longer till they landed.  
  
"Approximately 1.5 minutes till we arrive." Ukonojo finished for her.  
  
"Oh, yeah, thank you Ukonojo."  
  
"No problem Mihoshi, firing boosters to slow our descent." He announced as the ship gently rocked from entering the atmosphere.  
  
"Good. I came to see how much longer it was going to take. We'll go collect our things." Ayeka said walking out the door.  
  
***************  
  
"Do you see them yet Tenchi?" Washu asked, as they all waited for the return of the others from Jurai.  
  
"No, little Washu. I don't see them yet, are you sure they're almost here?" He replied, shielding his eyes from the sun, while trying to see Mihoshi's ship.  
  
"I'm positive Tenchi. I'm the greatest genius in the universe, I'm not wrong about simple things like calculating the time of entry for a ship." She replied, feeling annoyed that he questioned her genius.  
  
"Oh, sorry little Washu, I know you're not wrong. It's natural for someone to ask a question about being right; I guess I asked it not thinking about it. I didn't mean to insult you." He apologized, feeling bad for hurting her feelings.  
  
Washu smiled and was about to accept Tenchi's apology when. . . "Hey, I see them!" Ryoko yelled pointing to a small red dot in the sky.  
  
With conversation forgotten, Tenchi and Washu cast their attention back to the sky to see Mihoshi's ship coming down.  
  
"Think we should take shelter?" Ryoko asked, thinking of the times Mihoshi splashed down into the lake.  
  
"No I believe it's safe Ryoko. Her ship seems to be slowing down." Washu answered.  
  
Mireya sat on the grass in front of the porch, her back leaning against a support beam for the roof. She had usually kept herself at a distance from everyone else, she wasn't comfortable being around them yet. Her eyes cast skyward, to see the return of the woman who captured her heart, but couldn't return her heart to Mireya's. She felt happy the woman she felt so strongly for returning, but also saddened, she knew her love wouldn't embrace her in a deep hug, for fear of the others seeing. She also felt anger enter her body, as she looked toward Tenchi. She didn't trust Tenchi, she felt that he would only hurt Ayeka and she had already suffered enough. She returned her eyes toward the ship, not wanting to feel anger at this moment, she wanted to feel happiness.  
Mihoshi's ship quickly became bigger as it came into better view. Normally people would take a couple of steps back at the descent the ship was making toward them, but they were use to this sight. Mireya, who wasn't comfortable with the sight, was a little nervous, she didn't know if the ship was going to be alright. She wouldn't know what to do if the ship crashed and killed Ae. She couldn't seem to imagine how to react, it was unthinkable to her. She began to say a prayer to herself, for Ayeka to have a safe landing.  
The ship gradually slows down and comes nearly to a stop ten feet off the ground. It's gear extract from the bottom as it connects with the ground and the sounds of the engines of the small ship whine down.  
Tenchi and the others approach the small ship as the outer door opens up. Mihoshi is the first to emerge from the ship, she joyfully waves at her friends that are out to greet their return. Ayeka is second to come into view as Mihoshi jogs down the ramp of the ship to revisit everyone, with Sasami walking beside her. With Daimyo filling the rear carrying the luggage that was taken onto the trip. Tenchi noticed he didn't look like he had a great time on his trip.  
  
"Hey everyone we're back!" Sasami cheered running to the group.  
  
"Welcome back Sasami. We missed you, especially your cooking." He chuckled scratching the back of his head.  
  
"Oh, that's right. I should get started on making lunch." Sasami replied.  
  
Sasami hurried past Tenchi, but before he could tell her that it wasn't necessary, he caught sight of Ayeka.  
  
"Ah, welcome back Ayeka. We missed you and the others, it's good to have you all back again."  
  
Ayeka didn't hear Tenchi's greeting, she was looking at Washu, thinking about the last time she had seen her was in her lab. She felt the anger that she had that day present in locking eyes with the small scientist. Ayeka's gaze at the scientist may have been able to burn a hole through her if she was able to try harder.  
  
"Ayeka?"  
  
"Hmm. . .I'm sorry Tenchi I guess I was lost in thought for a moment. Yes, it's nice to be back."  
  
"Hope you enjoyed your vacation." Daimyo said entering the conversation. He drops the luggage of the two princesses on the ground.  
  
"Because your ass belongs to me again." He said to Tenchi.  
  
Tenchi scratches the back of his head. "Oh. . .it's great to have you back to." He replied trying to laugh.  
  
Ayeka closes her eyes and tosses her head away from Daimyo and walks away from the two men. She walks toward the house and sees Mireya standing near the front porch of the house. Ayeka feels a smile come onto her face from seeing her friend again. She had missed the woman who had helped her when she needed help the most, it was because of Mireya, she was still alive.  
  
"Hello my love. I have missed you. Are you well?" Mireya asked as the two met.  
  
"Yes, I am fine, I have missed you as well."  
  
"My heart flutters from hearing your voice again Ae. I felt so empty, not being able to see your beauty every day." She brushes her hand against Ayeka's cheek.  
  
"Hi, you are Mireya right?" Mihoshi asked walking to the two girls.  
  
Ayeka steps back from Mireya to have more space between the two. Mireya notices Ayeka shying away from her, but tries to hide the look of hurt from Mihoshi. "Oh. . .yes."  
  
"I'm sorry, I wasn't able to meet with you much when I first came here. Oh and I would like to say that I love your hair, it's so beautiful."  
  
Mireya blushes slightly from the detective's complement. "Oh well thank you very much."  
  
Ayeka continues to walk into the house, leaving Mireya to talk to Mihoshi. She notices the princess walking off, she had to hold herself back from wanting to walk with her. She didn't want to come off rude to the detective and she knew that Ayeka wanted their relationship kept distant with the others. Mireya turned her attention back towards Mihoshi, when she noticed a pair of eyes looking at her. Washu was walking toward the house not to far behind Ayeka. She looked at Mireya with a slight smile on her face. It was the scientist's smile that caught her attention the most.  
  
"Huh, young love." Washu whispered as she walked past Mireya.  
  
She said it just loud enough for Mireya to hear, but Mihoshi didn't seem to catch what the scientist had whispered to the white haired woman.  
  
"So what's your favorite cartoon?" The innocent minded policewoman asked.  
  
Mireya could only reply with a lost look about her face.  
  
******************  
  
"Ayeka." A voice of a resident of the house called to her to get her attention.  
  
She knew the voice and knew what was going to be said, but she didn't want to hear what she had to say. Knowing she couldn't avoid it, she decided to just stop it.  
  
"Forget it Washu. I know what you're going to say. I don't want to hear it." She replied, not bothering to face her.  
  
"Actually I don't think you know what I'm going to say."  
  
Hearing Washu's reply Ayeka turned to her, anger written in her eyes. Washu drops down onto her knees, places her hands down onto the floor and places her head between her hands.  
  
"I would like to plead for your forgiveness Ayeka." She asked with her head facing the floor.  
  
"Forgiveness for what?" Ayeka snapped back at her.  
  
"I am sorry that I was not able to help you when you needed it. I have always considered myself able to help when needed, to be able protect everyone that I cared for. I failed to help you in time and I blame myself for whatever happened to you on Draka. So I ask for your forgiveness."  
  
Ayeka looked around to make sure no one was seeing Washu asking for Ayeka to forgive her. "Alright, I forgive you. Now get up before someone sees you." "Only if you agree to talk to me. If you talk about it Ayeka, I can help you coop with whatever happened to you."  
  
Ayeka was panicky about someone walking into the room and seeing this. "Yes, very well, I'll talk with you just get up."  
  
She bent down and pulled Washu up to her feet. "Hey Ayeka, I was wondering what you would like to eat for lunch?!" Sasami asked poking her head around the corner to look into the room. "Hey, what happened?" She asked from seeing Ayeka helping Washu to her feet.  
  
"Oh. .nothing. . .uh, Washu tripped and fell down." Ayeka replied  
  
"Yeah, I guess I'm just clumsy today." Washu added, bonking her head.  
  
"Oh would you like something for lunch also Washu?"  
  
"No thank you Sasami, I fixed myself a snack earlier and I'll due till dinner."  
  
"I'll take some sushi and some rice cakes please Sasami."  
  
"Ok Ayeka."  
  
As Sasami goes back into the kitchen to fix up lunch, Ayeka takes a sigh of relief.  
  
"That was close."  
  
"That was some good thinking Ayeka, I gotta admit, I'm kind of impressed."  
  
"You." Ayeka sternly glared at her. "I need to talk to you in your lab. Now." She stated pointing to Washu's lab door.  
  
"Ok, ok, take it easy." Washu said trying to keep the poor girl calm.  
  
*********************  
  
"Ok shrimp. Let's see if you've been practicing any since I left for a week."  
  
Tenchi and Daimyo square off, to pick up on training since Daimyo left for Jurai. Tenchi had seemed to grow stronger since he began training under Daimyo. He had more confidence in himself and he seemed to be tougher than he had ever been. A cyan haired beauty observed their practicing from a branch in a nearby tree. She had noticed the changes in her Tenchi when they first began to appear. She didn't know whether the change in him would affect her feelings for him. But as time has gone by, she feels that her love for him would never change, even if he did.  
  
* Oh Tenchi. You've changed so much in such a short amount of time. At first I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to protect you, but now I think your confidence is kind of sexy. * She paused in her thoughts to cover her mouth as she began to giggle innocently at what she had just thought.  
  
She stopped giggling and remembered that her infusion with Zero just caused her to giggle like that. * Oh yeah, I nearly forgot about you being a part of me Zero, guess I didn't realize you still make me act a little differently now. *  
  
"Uuuggh." Was the sound Tenchi made from the punch Daimyo landed into his gut. He had some air in his stomach when he was sparing with him, Daimyo seemed to be pushing harder than he had been before leaving.  
  
Seeing Tenchi hunch over from Daimyo's punch, Ryoko had to hold herself from flying toward them and kicking Daimyo's teeth in.  
  
"Common Masaki. Don't tell me you still haven't advanced any since I left. Am I wasting my time here? I thought you were supposed to be strong."  
  
"I. .Am strong." Tenchi answered him getting back into his fighting position.  
  
"Oh good, then we can continue." He said, attacking Tenchi to restart their sparing.  
  
* Hmm, they really seem to be going at it. Must have been like me when Washu gave me that dimensional training area she made for me. But unlike those two, I think I've already reached my limit, so I don't think I'm going to use that anymore. Which reminds me, I guess I'll have to thank Washu for making that for me sometime. * Ryoko thought while watching them fight.  
  
**************************  
  
"You want to what?!"  
  
"I believe you heard me the first time Washu."  
  
"No way Ayeka! You've already been through enough, you traveled between dimensions by way of a device that I had believed to be a defect. Not to mention the day after you return you travel to Jurai and back. And now you tell me you want to return to Draka?!"  
  
"I do not wish to repeat myself Washu. I am returning with Mireya and . . .Daimyo."  
  
"But if you travel through that again, you may push your body too far Ayeka. What if you die?!"  
  
"I don't care! I want you to do what I asked as soon as possible. What risks I take is my business, so just do what I say!!"  
  
Ayeka turns and walks out of Washu's lab, obviously steamed from the conversation, her fists clenched together as she walks out. Washu stands next to the machine that her daughter and the princess accidentally activated that terrible day.  
  
* Ayeka, you have changed so much. You used to be so kind and gentle, yet tough when you needed to be. But now you aren't a shadow of who you used to be. You've become so hateful. .I fear for you. I can't help but wonder if there is any part of you left to save. * She silently thought to herself.  
  
******************  
  
"Daimyo, may I speak with you?" His white haired companion asked walking into sight at the training area.  
  
Daimyo and Tenchi noticed her approach and had stopped training to see who it was.  
  
"Yes, of course. Tenchi."  
  
Upon saying his name, Tenchi understood that Daimyo wanted to be alone with his talk with her. "Sure, we'll continue later."  
  
"Now your starting to sound like a warrior. Perhaps there's hope for you yet boy."  
  
Tenchi couldn't help but grin at his training partners remark as he walked toward the house to visit with the others. Mireya sat down on a log that was nearby, Daimyo leaned against the tree next to it.  
  
"So what did you want to say?" He asked.  
  
"I was thinking, now that you have returned, we may go back to Draka and free our people."  
  
Daimyo's face didn't show any sign of a reaction to the conversation. "I thought you would say that, but wasn't expecting it for a little while yet."  
  
"Daimyo, our people suffer the longer we sit here and do nothing. Trowa must be removed from the throne, our world is in ruin under his boot."  
  
"You think I don't know how horrible our world is? I've lived there my whole life you know."  
  
"We have been given a break from those horrors of our world, but others are less fortunate than we are. We must help them Daimyo, with our combined strength and the scales, we can defeat Trowa!"  
  
"No! I won't use those. Never!"  
  
"Daimyo why won't you accept your extraordinary gifts and use them?"  
  
"Because they scare me!" He said loudly near her face. "I'm afraid that if I let myself go with them, I'll do something horrible. I don't want more death Mireya, our people have seen enough of it."  
  
"Just use them this once Daimyo, that's all I ask. I beg you for the sake of Draka, use them."  
  
"I can beat him without using the scales. Would you believe me if I told you that boy I'm training has the power of the Light Hawk Wings."  
  
Mireya's mouth drops open. "Are you telling me HE is the hawk of legend?" She asked in disbelief.  
  
"That's what I've heard."  
  
"Then this is it. The prophecy will at last be fulfilled. The two of you will bring Trowa's rein to an end, why aren't you wanting to rush off now and free everyone we've known and cared for? Your victories practically assured."  
  
"We just returned from a long trip, I would like to have at least a day to prepare."  
  
"Very well then, tomorrow we return."  
  
"You didn't have to take it so literally Mireya."  
  
"That's more than enough time, tomorrow we fight."  
  
As Mireya walks away, Daimyo can't help but wonder if she was right, about the prophecy being true. If they return tomorrow, by the next days end their people could be liberated, free to begin anew. He had always wanted it to be true, he had hoped the legend would come to pass. But he felt that the scales were something he shouldn't try to tap into, seeing how he had nearly killed Mireya the time that he had tapped it.  
  
* This legend is turning into a salvation and a damnation at the same time. I hope it doesn't have to come to the scales, I may enjoy the feeling of enragement that comes over me. And because of that part of me, I don't wish for the scales. I won't use them. . . .I won't. * He thought in silence.  
  
**********************  
  
That night the dinner table should have been talkative with questions being asked about their trip and what had occurred during their absence at the house. But instead the atmosphere felt discomfort. Like there were questions wanted to be asked, but no one wanted to ask them.  
  
"Tenchi." Daimyo said, breaking the silence. "I want to say that I believe you have improved much since we started your training under me. And I want to thank everyone here for their. ." His eyes looked toward Ayeka. "hospitality. Mireya and I have both decided that we should return to our world tomorrow."  
  
Sasami seemed to stop everything as she heard Daimyo speak. * What?! Going home. . . .but. . . . . * She couldn't even think of anything to say from her shock. She felt her stomach sink down, like suddenly falling from a great height.  
  
Ayeka perked up when she heard him say they were going to return, she had to think to suppress her wants to smile at the news, for fear the others would take her smiling the wrong way. At last, everything seemed to be coming together for her, she would finally be able to return and find Voog.  
  
Tenchi felt a little surprised, not at his announcement of their departure, but rather how he felt about it. For the first couple of weeks, Tenchi thought that he would have been jumping for joy whenever he left for good, but now that he had finally gotten used to Daimyo being there, it would somehow feel. . . .lonely.  
  
" . . ." Was the next sound made in the room, Mihoshi sat next to Mireya, her eyes saturated with tears.  
  
"What's the matter Mihoshi?" Tenchi asked.  
  
" I just hate having to hear. . . .goodbyes." She finished burying her face in her hands weeping that the new people were going to leave them.  
  
Mireya pats Mihoshi's back to comfort the detective first class. "It's alright miss Mihoshi. Daimyo and I have important things to take care of back home. It would be selfish of us not to return to do our duty."  
  
Mihoshi uncovers her face and looks at Mireya with tears running down her tan colored cheeks. "Duty. . . .Are you and Daimyo police officers like me?" She asked.  
  
Daimyo felt uncomfortable telling them why they were going to return home. He was able to not have to tell the others about how bleak his world was up until now. He tried to think of something to tell Mihoshi without bringing dishonor to his world. He felt ashamed at how bad his planet had become and didn't want to discuss it with them.  
  
"No, Daimyo and I are the only ones that may be able to overthrow a tyrant on our world that has all but decimated its beauty." Mireya answered the detective.  
  
Daimyo's posture drooped down. * Well so much for thinking of a good way to bend the truth a little. *  
  
"Oh, that sounds terrible." Tenchi replied. "I. . .I wish there was something that we could do to help."  
  
Ayeka's face seemingly glowed. Tenchi had given her the opportunity that she was waiting for. "Perhaps we could go and help you." She said wanting to jump up onto her feet.  
  
Daimyo was all too surprised at Ayeka's eagerness to help them. * She's treated me lesser than a dog the whole time I've met her, now suddenly she wants to help us liberate our world? What is up with this woman? * He thought in confusion.  
  
"Ae, we couldn't ask that any of you come with us. We couldn't tell you how dangerous this idea is. There is a great chance that if any of you go. . . . .you may never come back."  
  
"Oh we don't mind, besides it's the right thing to do right Tenchi?" Ayeka looked to him for his reply.  
  
"Oh, uh. . . .well. . .I. . ." He muttered in a loss for words.  
  
"Alright then it's settled we'll go with you." Ayeka said looking at Daimyo and Mireya.  
  
"Hold on just one minute little princess!" Ryoko said making her presence known. "You can't make that decision for everyone! What if something happens to Tenchi?!"  
  
"Tenchi is more than capable of handling himself! If you don't want to go fine, but I'm going with them!"  
  
"Ayeka. . . . . . . .I cannot let you go alone. If you are going to Draka, then I will accompany you." Tenchi replied to her.  
  
Ryoko felt a mixture of anger and despair rise up in her heart from hearing Tenchi and Ayeka's words. She couldn't decide to try to scold Ayeka for convincing Tenchi to go, or to cling onto Tenchi and plead him to take his words back. Feeling either of the two wouldn't work at the moment, she phases out of the room and flies into the nights sky to weep in private.  
  
Mihoshi rises to her feet and salutes everyone at the table. "As Detective First Class Mihoshi, it is my duty to protect civilians and members of the royal family."  
  
Tenchi nods his head. "Thank you Mihoshi."  
  
Washu clears her throat to get everyone's attention. "I find it surprising that nobody has thought to even ask if I had the coordinates for their homeworld yet, or if I really wanted everyone else to go with them."  
  
Ayeka glares at Washu, she knew that Ayeka needed to go with them and still butted in like this.  
  
"Oh, I completely forgot about that little Washu. Do you have their worlds coordinates?" Tenchi asked, feeling dumb for not thinking about it.  
  
Washu crosses her arms and closes her eyes. "Yes, my invention to sniff out Daimyo's world found it a couple of days ago. So you could leave." She opens her eyes and looks at Ayeka. "If you really want too."  
  
Tenchi nods. "Well I guess this means we're going to Draka tomorrow."  
  
"Then I would suggest you get some rest, you'll be traveling between dimensions and it can have a little strain on your body." Washu suggested.  
  
***********************  
  
The next morning seemed to come quickly to the residents of the Masaki household. To Ayeka it took an eternity for the night to go by. Each member of the house got cleaned up as they normally would in the morning. A bath in the onsen, brushing teeth, and using the bathroom, were some of the things done during that process.  
  
Tenchi was feeling a little concerned about Ryoko. She had disappeared last night at dinner and so far today he hasn't spotted her around the house. He had passed by her favorite support beam to nap on, the onsen, and even went outside to glance upon the roof top to see if he could see her there. But he had no luck in finding her.  
He sat at his desk in his room and looked out the window to contemplate on the things that have happened in his life. The first big thing that happened that he thought about was the death of his mother. He found himself wondering a lot about what it would be like if she were there today. He wondered how she would have taken the fact that six alien women feel onto the earth and ended up living in their house with them. He didn't get to know her that well, but he thought that she would have taken to the girls in no time.  
  
"Tenchi?" A voice saying his name snapped his attention back to the world at hand.  
  
"Hmm, ah Ryoko. I've been wondering what happened to you, you left during dinner and I didn't know where you went."  
  
"I. . .I had to clear my head a little bit last night Tenchi. I didn't mean to worry you."  
  
"Hey as long as your alright."  
  
"So when are we leaving?"  
  
"Huh? You mean your going to go with us?" Tenchi asked a little surprised.  
  
"I told you a few days ago Tenchi. I will always be there for you. That was a promise." She hugs Tenchi. "I would do anything for you Tenchi." She said to him in the embrace.  
  
Outside the doorway was a white haired woman who was leaning against the wall to Tenchi's room. She had her arms crossed and her eyes closed, hearing what was being said in Tenchi's room, she opens her eyes and walks toward the stairs to go down into the living room.  
  
********************  
  
Daimyo sat in meditation under a tree near the home, so when the time came for them to depart they would be able to find him. He was contemplating on a lot of things, most of all his fear of the Scales that he seemed to posses. He was never able to feel comfortable with this power that he had tapped into only once before, but that nearly took Mireya's life.  
  
* Why must I be the one that was cursed with this power? Why do I feel afraid of this power? When I used it I was able to defeat my brother, Botaro. So why am I so. . .*  
  
His meditation to discover the answers to his questions was interrupted when he sensed a disturbance nearby. He sensed someone's energy a small distance away. Suddenly a disturbance in the air coming closer to him, fast. He quickly brings up his hand and grabs whatever was coming toward him so fast. He opens his eyes and looks into his hand to see a medium sized pebble. He looks in the direction to see the thrower of the small stone.  
  
"Funny I don't remember insulting you recently Sasami." He said to the thrower of the pebble.  
  
She walks over to him and punches him on the shoulder. "Ooww. Hey why are you trying to hurt me?"  
  
"Why are you leaving? Aren't you happy here?"  
  
"Yes I'm happy being here, but like we said last night, we have to go back."  
  
"I know, but. . . .I just don't want you to go." She said clinging herself onto him. "Please stay here Daimyo, this could be your new home." She breaks the hug and looks into his face. "And you can stay here with me."  
  
"I would like that Sasami, but I must return to Draka, our people need my help."  
  
Sasami's head lowers from his response. "I know Daimyo. It's just that. . . . ." She begins to feel her heart race, as tears swell in her eyes. She gazes into Daimyo's eyes. "It's just that I'm afraid." She says clinging herself onto him. "I'm afraid that if you go back, I won't ever see you again." She cries into his shoulder.  
  
He cupped the back of her head and gently patted it to try to calm her down. "It's alright Sasami, I promise that I'll come back and visit you when we're done."  
  
She lifts her head to look him in the face. " You really mean it?"  
  
He nods his head to her. "I promise."  
  
She smiles and hugs him again. "Just be careful."  
  
Thank you for reading this far into my story and I hope that you are enjoying it greatly. The next chapters will hold some great battles in it, so it may take a while for me to write them out. The title of the next chapter: "Armageddon Dancers Part 1" 


	14. Armageddon Dancers, part 1

I do not own any of the Tenchi Muyo characters and I am not making any money from writing this story. I write for the fun of it. Thank you for not suing and have a nice day.  
  
Warning: This chapter is the beginning of the darkest parts of my story. If the idea of reading about graphic violence sickens you, you may wish to not continue. Still here? Ok, you have been warned.  
  
Shogun Muyo -Chapter 14 Armageddon Dancers Part 1  
  
It was another dark night on the planet of Draka. With the defenses of the emperor's castle raised, more guards than usual are patrolling around the perimeter. Two guards are behind what remains of a wall from a building or a home that once stood there. Each light up a cigarette and hide from their commanders eyes to be able to enjoy the smoke.  
  
"Man can you believe all this? They actually think anyone would be stupid enough to try to attack the castle. If anyone does attack, they deserved to get killed."  
  
"I hear ya. We're wasting our time with all this beefed up security. I'd say a couple more days of nothing happening and they'll take us off this alert stage."  
  
"I still don't see why we need the extra security at each station. I heard from the commander that the entire reserved army is on standby alert. So if there is an attack, one sound of the alarm will have thousands of troops coming down onto anyone. There isn't much of a military presence left on Draka to cause us to pull this type of alarm status."  
  
"Yeah, but I guess orders are orders." He replied to his buddy, dropping his cigarette to the ground and smothering it with his foot. "I guess we should get back, before someone notices us taking a break."  
  
(Crack) Hearing a noise behind him, the guard turns around and see's his partner's neck being broken by a man with a blue jewel in his forehead.  
  
* It's the outlaw Daimyo! Oh crap! * He thought to himself.  
  
He was about to cry out for help, but the last sound the guard heard was the sound of his own neck being broken by strong hands from behind. The attackers took cover behind the wall and placed the dead guards bodies against the wall. Mireya and Daimyo signaled to the others that it was safe to advance to the wall. Tenchi, Ayeka, Ryoko, and Mihoshi came to the wall as quietly as they could and exhaled a sigh of relieve as they made it to the wall.  
  
"That's five down." Mireya said looking at Daimyo.  
  
"A few thousand to go. . ." Daimyo replied.  
  
"I. . .I don't like this place, Tenchi. . . . .it's too scary." Mihoshi made he opinion known.  
  
"It's alright Mihoshi. You don't have to go with us any further."  
  
"No. .I'll go with you. I. . .I just wanted to say that I think this place is really, really creepy."  
  
"We're wasting time." Ayeka said, walking toward the edge of the wall.  
  
Daimyo grabs her arm. "What are you doing? Are you nuts? You'll get us all killed if they spot you."  
  
Ayeka slaps him across the face. "Let go."  
  
Daimyo releases his hand from her arm, as Ayeka walks from behind the wall heading toward the main gate.  
  
"She's insane." Daimyo states. "So much for the element of surprise. Common, may as well go for a full frontal assault."  
  
Ayeka walked toward the castle with no care about being spotted by the guards. Her revenge at last was close to hand, and nothing would keep her from getting it. She comes up to the side of the castle and continues to walk toward an entrance.  
  
A guard takes notice of Ayeka walking toward his direction. He was surprised the woman didn't seem afraid to be in an area that soldiers had orders to kill any civilian in.  
  
* Hmm. . .she's kind of cute. Maybe she's looking for a man. * He thought.  
  
He smiled at her when she was walking toward him, he saw that she was looking at him, but couldn't tell from her facial expression what kind of mood she was in. He was about to talk to her, but something just out of his peripheral vision caught his attention. Looking up past the lovely purple haired woman, he saw a small group of people coming up behind her. Instinctively going for his sidearm holster, the guard looks toward the inner wall to shout for reinforcements.  
  
His dagger, which is kept holstered near the top of his boots flies out from its resting place and magically dangles in front of him. Seeing this sight of defiance of gravity, causes him to take pause in his alarm. His concentration is focused on his blade, spinning in the air like a one- fanned windmill. His dagger forcibly plunges itself into his abdomen, like it was suddenly shot out of a gun.  
  
"Uughh. . . . ." Is the guards reaction to the pain that hits him. The knife shifts itself upward, lifting the soldier a couple inches off the ground. The guard clutches the knife in a weakened attempt to pry it out of him, but his head soon falls forward as his body goes limp. Ayeka waves her hand outward from her body and the soldier's body is flung out of her way.  
  
Tenchi was surprised not by this power Ayeka was displaying, but at the fact that she seemed to kill the guard with no remorse. She did not pause in walking as she killed him, but seemed to not even acknowledge the fact that she had taken a life. This was not the princess Ayeka that he had known.  
  
* What. . . .what happened to you here Ayeka? This planet seems so desolate, what happened to you in the weeks you were here? * He asked himself.  
  
*********************  
  
"Sir." A guard addressed his superior.  
  
"What is it soldier?"  
  
"I have spotted intruders on the outer western wall sir. Shall I sound the alarm?"  
  
"Show me?"  
  
The soldier took his superior to the ledge of the wall he was assigned to patrol. He pointed to where he saw the intruders. His superior looks the intruders over.  
  
"There are only six people down there soldier, majority of them are women. Do you think we should mobilize the army over four women and two young men?"  
  
The soldier stands at attention. "No sir, I shall round up the guards and dispatch them at once sir!" The soldier runs off to rally some troops to welcome their uninvited guests. His superior shakes his head. "Five women and two teenage boys. Sound the alarm? That soldier isn't going to make it out of private if he acts that dumb."  
  
******************  
  
Guards stationed at the front gate are in uproar. They have been alerted to several intruders along the outer wall and are taking position in case of a breach of the front gate. Equipped with armor and low grade shotguns the guards stand ready, with gun barrels pointed toward the doors of the gate.  
  
"Keep calm soldiers. If they breach the gate, we take them down." One guard said trying to calm the tension of the atmosphere.  
  
An unnoticed ghostly head slowly pops out of the outer wall to allow the demoness to take a peak at the situation with the gate.  
  
* Hmm. . .it doesn't look like they're wanting to sound the alarm just yet. Seeing as how we're only a group of seven, they wouldn't call for their military. That mistake will cost them. But right now I need to get the gate opened for the others. * She thought.  
  
She looked around the area to find something she could use as a distraction to get all the guards away from the gate. She scans around and she spots a guard tower on the opposite wall. Half a devious grin forms on the right side of her face, as mischief whispers a plan in her ear.  
  
* Perfect. *  
  
She phases out of the wall and looks around the wall to see a tower. She flies up next to it and sticks her head against the wall to listen for any sound a guard inside could make. Hearing footsteps of a guard shuffling his feet, lets her know that there's a prey inside.  
The guard inside the lookout tower looks down onto the courtyard at the guards making ready at the gate. From his standpoint he can feel the tension of the moment of waiting for a bang at the front gate. He grips his rifle with excitement, waiting to aid his fellow guards in stopping an assault onto the castle.  
  
Hhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.......  
  
The guard turns around from hearing a soft howl come from the room.  
  
* Hmm. . . .it must have been the wind. No one else here but me. * He thought.  
  
Hhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaa......  
  
The sound comes again and the guard knows he heard it come from the wall. Confused as to what is making the noise, he carefully moves to the wall and closely looks around the wall to see if he can identify the noise.  
  
A face of a beautiful woman comes out of the wall, her hands grasp his head. "Surprise." Was all she said before introducing the man's head to the wall.  
  
The guard falls to the ground unconscious and Ryoko comes into the room. "Ok, now to have some fun."  
  
***************************  
  
* Well are they going to attack or leave us standing here like this all night? * One of the guards at the gate thought to himself.  
  
"Uh, Sir!" A shallowed deep voice called out.  
  
The highest ranking soldier turns around to see the guard in the wall tower calling out to him. The soldier takes notice of this guards slumped posture, but writes it off as laziness.  
  
"What is it?!" He yells in reply.  
  
"Uuhh, the intruders are. . .scaling the wall over here. I need some assistance."  
  
"You heard him men, to the eastern wall! You two stay here and guard the gate." He ordered two of the men.  
  
Ryoko covers her mouth and snickers at the way she has tricked the guards. She sets the guards unconscious body down against the wall. She vanishes from the room and reappears at the front gate where the others are waiting.  
  
"All right, let's crash this party."  
  
Seconds later the gate exploded, sending splinters of the wood that formed the door flying. Through the now vacant gap in the door, a cyan haired woman had her arm extended out toward the door. The two guards standing near the door were knocked to the ground in the force of the woman's blast.  
Ayeka is the first to enter through the gate. She doesn't run, but seems to merely stick to walking with a quickened pace. The others spread out once inside the outer wall, getting ready for any attacks from any direction.  
A small squad of guards comes through the main door in the courtyard. The guards in front kneel down to give the ones in the rear a clear shot. Taking aim the guards fire at their targets. Most of the shots were aimed toward the closest person, who was Ayeka. Their bullets bounced off of the shield her Jurian royal blood allows her to posses.  
Energy crackles around Ayeka in a purplish lightning form. A bolt of energy shoots forth and engulfs the guards that shot at her. The guards cry out, as the searing pain maddens them before they are cooked alive. Ayeka ignores the fallen bodies, as she walks by them and enters the castle.  
  
**********************  
  
A guard looked down onto the courtyard at the sight of these intruders successfully fighting off the guards that are there to challenge them. Knowing they would be in trouble if they weren't able to stop the intruders, but knowing they would be in even more trouble if they don't sound the alarm. He walks over to the wall where a small box with a button covered by a plastic covering was. He opens the covering and hits the button, the end result is a siren filling the air outside of the castle.  
  
************************  
  
"Damn, the alarm. We cannot fight off the army, we must make a retreat." Daimyo says to the others.  
  
"But Ayeka has already gone inside." Tenchi replies.  
  
"Then that was her mistake. I hate to sound so cold hearted, but we have to leave now, otherwise we all die."  
  
"No, I will not leave Ae." Mireya tells Daimyo, as she runs toward the doors Ayeka entered.  
  
"Doesn't anyone here listen to reason!" He shouted toward Mireya as she disappears through the doors to retrieve the wayward princess.  
  
"We stay as long as we can." Tenchi told him reassuringly.  
  
"Your all nuts. We can't take on an entire army and come out alive. Even I know my limits boy, as great of a fighter that I am, the greats even have their limits."  
  
The conversation between Tenchi and Daimyo seems to fade to nothingness as Ryoko walks toward the gate. She sees some dust rustling in the short distance, as tanks come into her sight she tightens her fists and closes her eyes. She begins to try to stir up old memories of what she had done under Kagato's control, trying to get her mentality into that bloodthirsty state.  
  
"Tenchi!" She yells.  
  
Her cry breaks the conversation between the two as they both look to Ryoko. Her back was too them, like she was looking at something more important than them.  
  
"I'll take care of the army! You three go on ahead!"  
  
"It's official, you're the craziest one of them all!" Daimyo answered.  
  
"I SAID GO!" She turned to reply to him, her face filled with anger and a rage he hadn't seen in her before.  
  
Tenchi had seen that look on her face before, the time Ayeka had accessed his grandfather's space tree's memory. During the battle between her and his grandfather 700 years before, that was the same look about her.  
  
Tenchi grabs Daimyo's shoulder. "Don't worry, she knows what she's doing."  
  
"Uh. .excuse me. . .Ryoko. Did you want me to. . .help?" Mihoshi asked unsure of what she should do.  
  
"Go on Mihoshi. I'll handle them myself."  
  
"Oh. . .well, ok. Um. . .good luck. Hey you guys wait up!!" Mihoshi yelled to Tenchi and Daimyo as they entered the doors.  
  
Ryoko phased to the top of the front gate looking out at the landscape. She could see troops keeping pace with dozens of tanks making haste towards the castle. She felt relieved that Tenchi would not be able to witness what she knew she now had to commit.  
  
* I know what I have to do. . . .I must become what Kagato wanted me to be. I am thankful that you aren't going to see this Tenchi. For if I wasn't a demon in your eyes before. . . .I will certainly become one today. I must. If I don't then they will kill me. . .and worse they would kill Tenchi. And I will. .Not. . .Let. . .That. . .Happen! *  
  
She flew out away from the castle's wall to greet the coming army. She stopped when a couple of soldiers shot their guns at her from below. Their bullets bounced off of her energy shield that she generated from the gems power. She hovered there to let their shots deflect from her, to show them how futile their attempts at killing her were.  
  
"Hello! Let me introduce myself! My name is Ryoko, it means Devil Caller!" She yelled down to them. A grayish glow highlights Ryoko's figure, adding to making her look more demonic. "Allow me to show you why they call me Ryoko!!"  
  
As she finishes her introduction, small gray spirits rise out of the ground in the surrounding area.  
  
* Wow, I didn't realize I could get this many spirits, there must have been a lot of death on this world. Oh well, there's going to be much more today. * Ryoko thought in surprise to the growing number of spirits.  
  
She stretches both arms out to her sides, both gems shine in her wrists. The spirits in the air scramble into different locations to both of her sides. The merging spirits begin to take form and Ryoko laughs loudly at the soldier's uneasy reactions to her summoning of evil spirits.  
  
*********************  
  
There was a maddening silence in the air. The only sound being made is the beeping of Washu's holo-computer as she presses the keys to work on her data. Sasami sat in Washu's lab after the others had used Washu's machine to transport back to Daimyo's homeworld. They had only been gone for a couple of hours, but it was beginning to feel like several lifetimes to the youngest princess of Jurai.  
  
"Washu?"  
  
"Hmm?" Was Washu's reply while typing data into her network.  
  
"Do you think the others are ok?"  
  
"I'm sure they're fine Sasami. After all, Ayeka and Ryoko are with them. And those two are more than capable of handling themselves, I'm sure they will all be fine."  
  
"I hope your right." Sasami mumbled to herself.  
  
Sasami wasn't aware of it, but Washu was thinking the same thought.  
  
Sasami exhales. "Well I guess I should cook some food. I'm sure everyone will be hungry when they get bac...."  
  
Washu stopped typing and snapped her head around at the sudden sound of a couple simultaneous thumps coming from behind her. Her eyes widened in shock and panic as she sees Sasami collapsed onto the floor.  
  
"Sasami?!"  
  
She runs to the little girls side, turning her onto her back to check on her. Sasami was like a rag doll, she showed no signs of moving, but thankfully Washu saw that she was still breathing. It was like she was just in a coma or deep sleep.  
  
"I had better get you into a bed young lady." Washu changes into her adult form and collects Sasami's unconscious body. She walks her over to a vacant spot in the floor while a bed seemingly rises out of the floor. She places Sasami on the bed and covers her up. As she set's up her equipment to monitor Sasami's vitals, she talks to the smallest princess.  
  
"Don't you ever scare me like that again Sasami. I thought I was going to die from a heart attack when I saw you on the floor." She softly runs her hand over Sasami's forehead. "If something happens to you Sasami, I couldn't go on living. Especially with Ayeka and Ryoko taking over in the kitchen." Washu laughed at the joke she had just made. "I wonder where you are?" Washu asked in wonder.  
  
************************  
  
It was strange. She was headed toward the kitchen from Washu's lab, next she finds herself in this shadowed void. There seemed to be blackness everywhere, yet there was a calmness in this place. She wasn't afraid, she had felt this feeling a few times before, she knew who's name to call.  
  
"Tsunami?!"  
  
"I am here Sasami."  
  
Sasami turns around to see Tsunami standing a couple feet from her.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
"It has begun Sasami."  
  
Her eyes widen. "It's. . . .now?"  
  
"Yes. Are you afraid?"  
  
"No. . .I feel safe with you it's just. ."  
  
"Your concerned that the others will treat you differently when it is finished."  
  
". . . .A little."  
  
Tsunami's face softened and had a calming smile. "Sasami, you should know more than anyone that the others wouldn't treat you differently. Like when your sister first found out about you and I, did she treat you any differently?"  
  
". . . . .no."  
  
"That's right Sasami. Your sister said she loves you for who you are. You will always be the person you are now Sasami, so you have nothing to fear."  
  
"Thank you Tsunami."  
  
*********************  
  
"Aaaaah!" Was the last thing a soldier said as he was blown back from a lone woman in a purple kimono matching her hair.  
  
Ayeka had been making her way through the hallways of this castle. She did not know where Voog would be, but she would tear this place apart to find him if she had too. She didn't know how, but she knew she was going to find him, she had to find him. And make him pay for his crimes against her.  
Turning the corner, she stopped in shock and awe as the object of her desire had finally shown itself to her. There in the hallway alone with her was Voog. The man who was responsible for placing these feelings of hatred and torment inside of her was finally standing before her. Her hands clenched tightly together, so tightly it was close to drawing blood from her palms. Her teeth clamped down onto each other, as she was now drawing all her anger and hatred for this man forth.  
  
"Well isn't this a pleasant surprise? My pretty little flower has returned to me. Tell me, how have you blossomed?" He asked with a chilling smile written onto his face.  
  
Ayeka didn't reply to his question, her head was slightly tilted down, so that Voog couldn't make out her eyes. Ayeka gave a slight hiss and twitched, suddenly Voog noticed there was a cut onto his cheek were blood was lightly surfacing out of.  
  
"My it looks like my flower has developed a thorn." He said, wiping the blood from his cheek. "That can be taken care of with a little pruning. I suppose you are one of these intruders in the castle, I'm sure the soldiers will detain your friends, so that gives us time to be alone for a little bit."  
  
Ayeka growls, and two more cuts are created onto Voog's face. Voog looks down at the cuts and snarls. "Your beginning to get on my nerves, it's time we had a little fun." He softly spoke in a strange tongue, casting his spell to immobilize the princess like he had done so before. And like it happened before with his spells, the girl didn't move.  
  
"Now let's head back toward the cell block and we'll find a nice cozy little cell with others who can watch and listen."  
  
"Hhhaaaa!" Ayeka cried, slashing her hand in a near vertical swing. Voog looked down onto his uniform and noticed his clothing was ripped and there as a scratch from his stomach to his chest.  
  
He was astounded, never has anyone resisted his holding spell. She was incapable of resisting it during the first couple of weeks he had seen her.  
  
* What is this? Is this the same woman who I captured and played with? It doesn't make sense. * He thought to himself.  
  
*****************  
  
"Ah great. Now what do we do?" Tenchi asked.  
  
The trio had come across a three way fork inside the castle. They have been fighting off soldiers to get to this point and were now faced with this confusing decision of which direction to take.  
  
"I don't know which way to go. I've never been inside this castle before." Daimyo answered him. "I guess we should split up, we'll cover more ground that way. Tenchi you go that way and Mihoshi can go this way. I'll head over here." He suggested pointing toward each hallway from his far right.  
  
"And if you run into the emperor, do your best to kill him. Good luck." Daimyo hollered back as he ran down the hallway he selected.  
  
"Tenchi. . .can I come with you? I really don't like this place and I don't want to be alone." She asked with pleading eyes.  
  
"Mihoshi. Your always welcomed to stay at our house, so you should know it's alright to come with me. Come on, we should hurry, there should be more soldiers coming."  
  
Both Tenchi and Mihoshi run down the far right corridor, leaving the center corridor unexplored.  
  
*************************  
  
The banging of metal, gunshots, and cries of torment filled the nights sky of Draka. A vicious battle was being waged at the castle of king Trowa, between his loyal army and an army of demons. The fighting was in close combat, so close that if the night was cold, the warriors in the fight would be sweating from the gathered body heat of the armies.  
The battle was becoming repetitive, Ryoko was constantly hacking and slashing into the soldiers, but more and more seemed to come. If Ryoko had enough time to get her adrenaline down, she would feel the warmth of the blood that was painted onto her. But in this melee fighting there was not time to reflect onto ones actions, only enough time to act.  
The hordes of demons that Ryoko was able to summon from this war-torn world were tearing into the soldiers. A couple of times body parts had fallen out of the corner of her eyes or had been flung onto soldiers she was about to dismember herself. The soldiers were beginning to push forward now, they were about to make their way past Ryoko.  
  
* I cannot let them pass. Tenchi! *  
  
Ryoko swipes a low strike at the soldiers in front of her. Cutting them off at the knees. The newly amputated soldiers fall to the ground crying in agony of their lose of body parts. As the line of men fall to the ground Ryoko sprays the next line with her hair needles. The needles find their homes into the flesh of the men's upper body's and faces. Taking advantage of her newly bought time, the energy contained within the gems flutters as Ryoko summons enough energy for an attack.  
  
Throwing both palms of her hands out toward the mass numbers of soldiers, she unleashes a fierce blast accompanied with a chaotic battle cry. "Aaaaaaaaaa!!"  
  
The blast consumes the soldiers that are unfortunate to get caught in it's path, before it collides into one of the tanks and a large explosion shakes the ground.  
  
************************  
  
A thunderous boom echo's throughout the castles hallways as the ground shakes, causing dust to trickle down from the ceiling. A young man with a bluish gem in his forehead had just finished dispatching a few soldiers that had to get in his way. He waves his hand in front of his face to bat away the dust falling into his face.  
  
* What's going on out there? Ahh. . .That Ryoko seems to be quiet the handful for the army. Perhaps she's more skilled than I gave her credit for. I need to get back to concentrating on finding the emperor, if we don't get him tonight, this whole attack will be in vain. *  
  
Daimyo continues his path to lead him deeper into the castles depths. He comes upon another corner, he peaks around it to see two soldiers stationed at this connection of hallway.  
  
* Now. . .Time to go to work. *  
  
He turns the corner, charging the two men, he picks up a vase that was placed onto one of the tables in this section of hallway and smashes it onto the head of the soldier that had his back to him. The second soldier saw Daimyo's charge when he came from the corner. Daimyo batted away his gun as the soldier tried to fire it, hitting a picture frame hanging on the wall. Daimyo's right hook connects hard to the soldiers face, causing the man to hit the ground hard and unconscious.  
  
"I was hopping it was you."  
  
Daimyo didn't have to turn to see who was behind him, he hadn't heard this voice for a long while, but he could never forget the voices owner.  
  
"I'm sure you were Botaro." He replied turning to see his brother.  
  
"This is going to be a great day for me. You will die by my hands and when I place your dead body before my father, he will see that I am strong enough to rule in his place after his passing."  
  
"That sounds like a nice daydream, to bad it will never come to pass. Now get out of my way Botaro, I do not wish to fight my own brother."  
  
"I have no brother!! You are just some freak of nature! After I kill you I'm going to rip that jewel out of your forehead and make a necklace out of it. It'll remind me of how much you suffered this night, before I finally put you out of my father's misery."  
  
"Alright then. Let's settle this once and for all." Daimyo said taking a fighting position.  
  
************************  
  
"Wh. . .What are you?!" Voog asked in shock.  
  
He stepped back away from Ayeka when his fingers started snapping back on his hands. The cracking sound his fingers made as they were being broken echoed in the hallway. He knew that this was not the girl that he had captured and tormented to his pleasure, she didn't show this type of power before.  
  
* How is it. . .How is it possible that she has this kind of power now? *  
  
"Well. . .my dear. . .I don't know how your doing that little trick, but now. . ." He paused in talking to Ayeka to pop his fingers back into their sockets. "I will not be gentle with you anymore."  
  
A slight crackle noise is heard within the hallway. Bolts of power run over Voogs body, outlining his form. He clenches his hands tightly, focusing his concentration to the completion of his spell. Focusing, he throws his left hand out toward the princess and a bolt of energy flows from his hand into her.  
Expecting the princess to fall to the ground from his short shock to her system, he is surprised to see the princess unfazed from his spell. Not wanting to be taken lightly, especially from a woman that he had taken a couple of times during her short incarceration in their prison hall. His teeth press down onto each other from his frustration at her resistance to his power.  
With the energy still coursing over his body, Voog let's the spell loose completely upon her. Electrical energy lights up the darkened parts of the hallway, as it courses into Ayeka's body. The princess's face is illuminated by his attack. Voog can clearly see the burning resolve of anger in her eyes and facial expression. She raises her right arm toward him and purple electrical energy shoots forth from her hand and engulfs Voog. Voog ceases his spell and cries out in agonizing pain, as every cell that composes his entire body seemed to be withering in pain. He falls to his knees as Ayeka continues to pulse the energy into him.  
After what seemed like an eternity to Voog, Ayeka stopped channeling her energy into him. Voog catches himself with his hands before he fell face first onto the floor. A little smoke rises off of his clothing from being slightly cooked by Ayeka's attack. Voog gritted his teeth and let out a growl while rising back to his feet.  
  
* How dare she do this to me! ME!! I've had enough playing around with this little bitch, I'm going to kill her!! * He thought to himself in a blinding rage.  
  
"Play time is over! It's time for you to die!!"  
  
A darkish purple light up the hallway as Voog generated his energy over his body. He extends his arms out at waist level with his palms facing up. Purplish flames ignite in his hands, but Voog doesn't show pain on his face. He looks at her, almost as if trying to burn the image of what she looks like into his mind.  
  
"Goodbye!" He swings both his hands forward and slaps them together. The flames in his hands connect together and react as if rocket fuel had been tossed onto the flames. Voog's attack is a raging inferno that engulfs the entire hallway from top to bottom. He feeds the attack with enough power to incinerate mostly anything that it touches. He allows the fire of his rage to burn for a minute to make sure that the princess would be cooked to ash from this attack.  
Allowing for the minute to pass, Voog extinguishes his fire attack and looks at the damage it has done. His eyes widen and his mouth opens in amazement. Ayeka stood in the same place she was in when he first used his attack. All the blocks that composed the structure of the halls of the castle were burned black, save for two that the princess had stood on.  
  
* It's. . .It's not possible. Even with her little shield trick, she should have been cooked alive. Has some kind of powerful demon possessed this woman's body? That would have to be the only explanation for this. *  
  
Ayeka began walking toward him. Both awaiting an attack from her and for not knowing what to do, Voog stepped back from her. Ayeka swung her arm out in front of her, as if to strike an invisible enemy in front of her. Voog fell back onto the ground, feeling an unbearable pain in his shins. He drew his legs up to grab his ankles instinctively from the pain, but looked to see that his feet were no longer there. Blood was pouring out of his shins, he looked over and saw that his feet were still in his shoes, flat on the ground where he was standing.  
Voog began to panic, in both a mixture of pain and fear of the capabilities of this woman who was beginning to dismember him. At this point, he was desperate to kill her any way he could. Ignoring the pain, he concentrated on a spell. He ignited the purple flame from his left hand and attacked her again. With his other hand he channeled the electrical energy attack toward where she was, he couldn't see where she was due to the flames of his other attack.  
  
"Die! DIE! DIE! DIIIEEEE!!" He madly yelled.  
  
Voog's attack was literally cut short, when a flying blade of energy emerged from the flames of his attack and sliced through his wrists, severing his hands. Again Voog cried out in unimaginable pain. With his attacks dispelled by Ayeka's retaliatory attack, Ayeka was still walking slowly, pausing between steps for a few seconds, almost to try to savor the moments and prolong his suffering. Voog began trying to crawl away using his right knee and right elbow, while looking at Ayeka's approach in fear. Feeling he wouldn't be able to crawl fast enough to get away from her, Voog decided to use another tactic.  
  
"Guards!! Guards!!!" His cry for reinforcements echoed down the directions of the hallways.  
  
Ayeka swiped at thin air again and a sound of flesh and bone being severed was heard, as Ayeka severed his legs at the knees.  
  
"GGGUUUUUUAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRDDDDDDDSSSSSSS!" Voog carried the plea for any of the soldiers to come to his aid as the pain hit him.  
  
He felt a chilling cold wash over his body as Ayeka stood over him. From his point of view, Ayeka's face was shadowed as she stood opposite a light on the wall. He holds what remains of his arms up at her.  
  
"Please. . . . .I beg of you. . . . . .show mercy." He pleaded to her, his voice shaken and trembling. "Forgive me. . . . . .I. . . .I am sorry. . . .for what I did. . . ."  
  
Ayeka gave no response to his plea. She didn't move, she just stood there, burning this moment into her memory, trying to find the satisfying feeling that she was wanting to have from this. But to her disappointment she didn't feel any satisfaction, she didn't feel like justice had been done, her thirst for vengeance still unquenched. Confusion was what she was experiencing, a feeling she didn't think she'd find in this moment. She had thought of this moment since he first violated her, vengeance is what had been driving her on this far. She had played the scenario through her every waking moment for this and now that she has finally reached this moment, it still didn't feel like it was enough.  
Voog had turned himself over onto his stomach and attempted to crawl to find some help. He knew he would bleed to death soon if he didn't find someone to help him. He strained with what remained of his arms to pull himself forward and ignored the pain he felt in his arms and the two bludgeoned stumps that were his legs.  
He suddenly saw that he was being dragged back towards Ayeka. He was pushed back against the wall in front of Ayeka, he couldn't move, it felt like he was being pressed against the wall by an unseen force. He felt tired and dizzy from the loss of blood that he was experiencing. Ayeka could tell that he was not going to live much longer. If she could not find her satisfaction in his suffering, then she would find it in his death.  
  
"You dare ask me to show you mercy? Did you show me mercy when I begged you to stop?! Or with the other women? Hmm. . .Did you show them any mercy?!!" She screamed at him in anger.  
  
Voog felt an increasing pressure pushing against his body into the wall. It felt like he was about to get squished like a bug under a giant foot. "Please. . . . . . . .Spare. . .me. .. . ."  
  
His plead to her seemed to make her blood boil more. She couldn't stand the fact that this man was the one that had violated her. And during his violation of her body, when she cried for him to stop, when she just wanted to die instead of living after he robbed her of her virginity, he did not show her any mercy.  
In a rage of hatred, Ayeka flung her arms forward, as if violently pushing something. She let the hatred rush out of her body by screaming out a cry of frustration, agony, and vengeance at Voog.  
Voog felt a crushing push on his body, he contorts his face in pain and tries to cry out, but there didn't seem to be any air left in his lungs. He felt and heard his bones in his body begin to pop and crack from the pressure against it. The last thing Voog sees is Ayeka throwing her arms toward him and screaming a cry of anger at him. Voog's body collapses in onto itself, causing the remainder of blood in his body to splatter outward, smearing the wall, the floor and onto Ayeka. Ayeka breathed heavily. She emptied her lungs yelling at Voog during her fit of rage, but at last she had done what has plagued her mind for so many days.  
  
Ayeka releases a sigh. * It is done. Finally I can. . . *  
  
Ayeka's thoughts trail off as she begins to notice something. There was no change in how she felt, her feelings of despair and agony still lingered in her heart. She had believed that with Voog's death, these feelings would die with him, but now it seemed she would be robbed of her feelings once again.  
  
"No. . . . .This cannot be. These feelings. . .they must stop, why. Why aren't these feelings gone? I. . .I feel no difference. Why?" She looks at the remains of Voog's body. "He is dead. I killed him. And yet I feel nothing! I will not be robbed of this!!"  
  
Ayeka violently throws her left arm from the inside out, Voog's remains plastered on the wall combusts and begins to burn violently. Black smoke soon begins to fill the air, carrying with it the unbearable scent of burning flesh. Ayeka glares at the burning flames, trying to find the feeling of resolve that she sought. But to her raging disappointment she found none. She only felt more anger and frustration building within her. She clenched her fists and walked off, no longer wanting to smell the burning flesh that was filling the area. Voog's flaming torso became unstuck to the wall and fell face down onto the floor as it continued to be consumed by Ayeka's fiery hatred.  
  
***********************  
  
Mihoshi and Tenchi continued running down the hallway that they were in. They had fought off a few guards that were running around the castle in an unorganized haste. They didn't have any clue where they were headed, but hoped they would eventually run into Ayeka or cross paths with Daimyo, but haven't seen either of the two. Both stop when they run into an open room that seemed to lead to the throne room. Tenchi took notice of pictures depicting stories onto the walls in this room. Then something else caught his eye. His vision had fallen onto the huge door that was on the wall to their left. A picture of a dragon encircling a hawk was carved onto the door. He ran his hand over the pictures hawk in wonder, he looked at the carved words beneath the picture.  
  
"And the world shook,  
under the might  
of  
The Brothers"  
  
"Tenchi? Where are we supposed to go now?" Mihoshi asked.  
  
"I think. . .we go through this door."  
  
"Oh, alright, if you think that's where we should go."  
  
Both Tenchi and Mihoshi push open the doors and find themselves standing outside of the throne room. The room was vast in length, the floor was surprisingly reflective, with a thin carpet that lead straight forward to the throne. On the throne was a young looking man, possibly looking to be in his early twenties. He was clad in black royal armor, which matched his hair color. He bore a golden crown that wrapped around his forehead, which seemed to keep his hair from blocking his face. Beside his throne was a sword that was in it's sheath, judging from the sheath's size it was a long sword.  
  
"So I finally get to meet the great hawk of legend." The emperor spoke, rising from his throne. His right eyebrow cocked up. "Although I have to admit, I'm a little disappointed, I was expecting a warrior of great stature, not. . . .you. No matter though, I know enough about what your capable of, enough to know that fighting you would be useless, since your prophesized to overthrow me." He spoke, beginning to pace left to right of his throne. "That has gotten me thinking, if I cannot defeat you physically, then how to beat my foe? I thought about this for a while, then it just suddenly dawned upon me. If I can't beat you physically, then I'll beat you mentally."  
  
Tenchi stood with his Tenchi-ken by his side, ready to activate it when he would need it. Mihoshi stood next to Tenchi, with her gun unholstered in her right hand, she held it up toward the ceiling, ready to bring it down upon the emperor if he flinched funny.  
  
"Wh. .what do you mean mentally?" Tenchi asked, trying not to sound nervous about this new turn of events.  
  
"Let me show you." He replied, he walked behind his throne, Mihoshi aimed her gun toward the throne, waiting for a sneaky attack. The Emperor walks around from the back of the throne with a small table in his arms, on the table was a chess board. "I will defeat you in a game of chess."  
  
Tenchi and Mihoshi both face-vault onto the floor. Quickly recovering from the face-vault Tenchi replies. "Chess?"  
  
"Yes, surely you've played chess before, I know you have brawn, but do you have brains with it?"  
  
"Alright, I accept your challenge." Tenchi spotted a little chair that was near the throne. He grabs the chair, Mihoshi keeps her eyes focused onto the emperor, not wanting to underestimate him just yet.  
  
"Now if you'll excuse us my dear, it would be fair if it was just me and him in here." The emperor addressed Mihoshi.  
  
"It's alright Mihoshi, I can take care of this myself. Go try to find Ayeka." He asked her.  
  
"Alright Tenchi, be careful. I'm rutting for you!" Mihoshi wished him luck then ran off to find the wayward princess.  
  
"Alright then, Tenchi is it?" The emperor asked.  
  
Tenchi nods in reply to his question.  
  
"Very well then Tenchi. You may make the first move."  
  
Sorry it has taken so long for an update, life has a tendency of getting in the way of writing. I will try to get the next chapter finished whenever I can. Thank you for enjoying my story. 


	15. Armageddon Dancers, part 2

I do not own any of the Tenchi Muyo characters, Pioneer has the rights to the characters. I just show my love for the characters by writing a story with them in it. I am in no way receiving any money by writing this story; so don't file a lawsuit against me.  
  
This chapter contains descriptions of graphic violence, reader discretion is advised. Still with us? Good, then continue reading.  
  
Shogun Muyo – Chapter 15: Armageddon Dancers, part 2  
  
A lone figure slips through the hallways, staying out of sight of soldiers that may come running by. She peaks around corners with her back pressed against the wall. When the coast is clear, she sprints down the hallway to get to the end of the corridor. She had run into the castle to find the wayward Ayeka, to keep her promise to protect her. She held strong feelings for Ayeka and she wouldn't be able to forgive herself if she had failed to protect her.  
  
Reaching the end of one hallway, she covered her nose and mouth; a terrible smell was in the air, as well as some smoke that was clouding up her visibility.  
  
Ahhh. What is that horrible smell?   
  
She continues making her way deeper into the castles maze of hallways, trying to stay as quite as she can with all the smoke in the air. She could tell she was getting closer to the source of where the smoke was coming from, due to the stench getting stronger. She pauses when she sees around a corner something she couldn't make out, she creeps up to the edge of the wall and attempts to look down the connecting corridor ahead of her. She can make out something on the floor, she didn't see or hear any evidence of any other presence around. She walks out to get a better view of the object laying in the hallway. Her mouth and nose still covered due to the smell.  
  
This must be where the fire was, the stones in the hall are charred black. But what is this. . . Her trail of thought wonders on as she stands next to what appears to be charred remains of someone.  
  
She looks down the hallway again and notices the different sections of body parts laying on the floor.  
  
Well someone had a bad day. This guy must have been large, the sections of legs are long and. . . . . Her eyes widen as she realizes who the remains was. Voog! The hand covering her face, shields anyone from seeing the smile on her face. It looks like you've gotten what you deserved. But who did. . .? The smile vanishes from her face as a new thought comes to mind. Ae? Did you do. . .this?   
  
Mireya felt deep concern for Ayeka, this wasn't what she had expected. She knew that Ayeka wanted to get vengeance on Voog for what he had done to her, but she thought that Ayeka would help her find Voog and she herself would make Voog pay for what he had done. This wasn't an action that the gentle princess would do that Mireya thought of her as, this was the work of another animal.  
  
Mireya looks around her in growing concern. Ae. . Where are you?   
  
She continues down the hallway, past the remains of the now dismembered Voog. Desperately trying to fulfill her promise she made to Ayeka.  
  
A wooden table that was sitting in a hallway in the castle was nearly seventy years old. It was finely crafted and showed great detail in it's curves in the wood. It had lasted through decades of conflict and turmoil. Even with the years that the table had endured, it shone with a reflective surface. But that seemed to change when Daimyo's body fell onto it, smashing it to bits after he was thrown down into it from his brother Botaro.  
He quickly recovered, rising out of the wooden remains of a table he had smashed, he charges into Botaro, launching his own offensive. Daimyo lands a couple of punches into Botaro's big gut, but doesn't seem to affect Botaro in the least. Botaro smiles at him and sends Daimyo across the room with a punch of his own.  
  
"What's the matter Daimyo, you've grown weaker. I remember the last time we fought, you punched a little harder than that."  
  
Daimyo answers with a growl. "Well I guess it's time I took fighting you seriously."  
  
Botaro suddenly finds Daimyo's feet being planted into his face, as Daimyo throws kicks at the large man. Botaro begins stepping back due to Daimyo's assault upon him.  
  
Alright you fat tub of lard! I'm going to give you such a beating! Daimyo confidently thought, as he was gaining the advantage.  
  
Jumping into the air, Daimyo twists his body to gain enough force to topple the gigantic man by delivering a spinning roundhouse across his ugly face. Surprise came to Daimyo, when he felt large hands grabbing his leg, instead of hitting Botaro's face.  
  
Oh crap.   
  
Botaro caught Daimyo's leg, momentarily introduces his face to the floor as he swings Daimyo around and throws him face first into the wall. Half a second passes, but feels like eternity to him, due to how much hitting the wall hurt. He turns around in time for Botaro's knee to get firmly indented into his stomach.  
  
"Uughh. . . . . .Uughhh." Was the only noise Daimyo could make, trying to inhale any oxygen that he could get back into his body after sustaining Botaro's blow. Then Botaro's large fists come crashing down onto Daimyo's mid-upper back, sending him back onto the floor.  
Daimyo's world seemed to be drowning in pain, Botaro hit like a sledgehammer connecting to his face. Not to be finished in so easily Daimyo lifts himself up. But not before Botaro kicks him hard in the side, causing Daimyo to flop a couple of feet away.  
Botaro wasn't going to give Daimyo any time to regain any footing in this fight. He rushed over to him and reached down to pick his fallen opponent up. Daimyo thrust both of his feet up into Botaro's gut, causing the huge man to take a couple of steps back. Daimyo quickly jumps back onto his feet and rushes the man once again, landing well placed punches on the larger man.  
Botaro catches one of Daimyo's punches and forcibly pulls him in. Daimyo's back runs into the front side of Botaro, where he intended Daimyo to wind up at. Botaro wraps his gigantic arms around Daimyo's body and picks the fighter up. Knowing Botaro had him in a bear hug, Daimyo thrusts the back of his head into Botaro's face to try to loosen the giants hold on him. Botaro's huge arm muscles visibly flex around Daimyo and begin to tighten onto him.  
  
"Eehh. . . .huugghh. . . ." Was all Daimyo could get out as he felt Botaro's muscles attempt to try to crush every bone in his body.  
  
He felt the vibrations of Botaro's deep laugh. "Struggle all you like, it will do you no good. I've been looking forward to this day for a long time and I intend to enjoy every moment of it." He finished and gave a tighter squeeze.  
  
Daimyo didn't know how much of this he could take, he felt his body couldn't tighten any more without the bones beginning to break. This. . .This cannot be the way I die. I must get free. Daimyo kicks Botaro as hard as he can at any point he can reach Botaro at the moment, but Botaro doesn't flinch, it only causes him to laugh again. "Daimyo you've grown weak, but don't worry you won't remain weak for much longer. Ahahahaha." "I. . . .amnot. . . .weak . . . . . ." Was all he could muster out. "If that's true, why is it your losing?" Botaro grunted back out, his reply strained from flexing so long. Daimyo couldn't give him a reply, in both because he didn't seem to have enough air to spare to reply to him and he didn't know what had made him weaker. Then suddenly like a bolt of lightening it came to him. He knew why he was weak, the reason was in front of him the whole time, but he was now finally able to see it. Visions of everyone on Earth flash in front of him. It was them. . .the whole time it was them that has weakened me. I thought that it was my own abilities that had failed me. . . .but now I see that it was them who had changed me from my ways. They who had softened me up, it is because of them that I will die like this. . .   
  
Daimyo felt a wave of anger wash over him. I hate them. . . . .I hate them all. "I. . .I hate. . .you. . ." He muttered out. "The feeling is mutual." Botaro grunted. "Dear brother." Anger was written on his face from acknowledging him as a brother for the last time. Botaro squeezed as hard as he could to begin crushing Daimyo's body within his arms. He felt disappointed when Daimyo didn't make any sound when he squeezed hard on him. That gave him incentive to squeeze as hard as he could again.  
A growl came from Daimyo as Botaro squeezed his body. Getting tired of not hearing Daimyo in torment, Botaro applied more pressure and a crack came from Daimyo's body. Daimyo let out a cry of pain as one of his bones cracked from the pressure he was enduring. "AAaaaaahhhhhhh!"  
  
In a distant part of the universe known only to a select few, the Goddess Tokimi observed the universe from her standpoint. She slightly lifts her head and allows a slight hum to escape her lips. "Is there something wrong my lady?" D3 asked his mistress, sensing her sudden change in mood.  
  
Tokimi smiled as she replied to his question. "The time has come."  
  
Understanding his mistress's words, D3 slightly bows his head in his reply. "I shall make the preparations at once my lady."  
  
As D3 fades away from Tokimi's presence, she indulges her curiosity by continuing to observe Daimyo's current battle with a smile.  
  
Daimyo felt ashamed of crying out in pain, but the pressure was getting to him. It would not take much more time for bones to begin breaking. And all he could feel was pain, anger, and frustration, he could feel his mind beginning to give way to all the pain and anger that was covering his body. "Aaaaaaahhhhh!" Daimyo cries from the pain inflicted upon him. He could feel that this was going to be his demise, he didn't feel he would be able to break free of Botaro's crushing grasp.  
Suddenly a feeling washes over him. A feeling that he felt once before, something that he hoped would never feel again. It was the same feeling he felt during his last encounter with Botaro; which nearly resulted in Mireya's death. He could feel it forcing it's control onto him, and given his situation, he was willing to welcome it.  
  
This is taking far to long for my tastes. I've had enough pleasure from this, I should end this now. Botaro thought to himself.  
  
"This has been fun. . .ehhh. . .But I believe it's time to end this." He tells Daimyo, grunting from applying all the pressure he could give.  
  
He applies all his might into tightening his hold on him, like a python crushing it's prey. Concern crosses Botaro's mind when Daimyo's hair begins to float weightlessly into the air, as if a gentle gust of wind blew up from beneath both of them. A light outline of a red glow began emanating from Daimyo's form as his hair continued to float in front of Botaro. Botaro's feeling of concern was now replaced with fear, he had seen this happen in Daimyo before. He had seen this when he was about to defeat Daimyo a few years ago, then Daimyo seemed to change and then the next thing Botaro remembered was waking up in a ditch, in a great deal of pain and near death. No.. . .I will not let this happen again! Botaro thought in a panic. I'm so close to defeating him for the last time. I will not be beaten again! Out of desperation, Botaro swings Daimyo from wall to wall in an attempt to kill him faster. Botaro's job of throwing Daimyo against the walls seemed to be causing dents in the stone walls of the castle. A strong force hits Botaro and causes him to loosen his grip on Daimyo. Daimyo lets loose a loud yell, sending a stronger force to push Botaro onto his back several feet away. He looks back up to see what has happened, he sees the change in Daimyo that he saw three years ago. Daimyo's hair was no longer black, it now had a blood red color to it. The gem in his forehead had changed from an ocean blue color to a shinny golden yellow. "No!" Botaro yelled at him getting back onto his feet. "I will not allow you to beat me again. Do you hear me?! NEVER!!" Botaro carried his yell while running full steam to Daimyo. His right fist pulled back, awaiting to place all his weight and strength into one punch onto Daimyo.  
  
"AAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Daimyo cries out with all his might throwing and landing a strong punch into Botaro's gut.   
Botaro stops dead in his tracks as he spits up blood from Daimyo's blow. The giant man didn't have time to wonder what happened, as Daimyo violently and erratically threw punches and kicks all over him. The difference seemed to be that Daimyo's blows were producing pain onto him.  
Daimyo seemed to be in a blood thirsty state of mind, too enraged to yell insults at the giant, he just retorted with angered grunts and screams at him. He did not give Botaro any seconds rest from his newly empowered assault upon his gigantic brother.  
Daimyo leaps into the air and lands a kick upon his face, ultimately planting the mans head into the wall, pinning him between the crumbling brick of the wall and Daimyo's foot. Landing from his leaping kick, Daimyo plants another forceful punch into his massive belly. Botaro's head comes out of the wall to lean forward from the pain of his blow, only to feel the heel of Daimyo's foot imprint itself onto the right side of his face.  
Botaro's massive body flops to the floor from Daimyo's kick. Botaro had a hard time trying to get back onto his feet, his brain seemed to want to slip into unconsciousness from the result of Daimyo's affliction. But the massive man wouldn't allow it, he had to finish Daimyo once and for all. "You. . .you will not kill me. . . .you are the one. . .who's dying tonight." Botaro declared to Daimyo as he stumbled back onto his feet. "You. . . . .You will DIE!!!" He screams at him, charging Daimyo once again. Botaro's eyes grew wide as he felt Daimyo give him a swift kick in the family jewels. Botaro's feet left the ground for a second as Daimyo's kick lifted him off the ground. He felt his knees give way, to fall to his knees, but he stopped in mid fall to the floor. Daimyo's right hand grasped Botaro's throat, holding the large man up from the floor. Daimyo raises his hand above his head, as Botaro's body is raised off the floor, suspended in the air, by the smaller mans right arm.  
Botaro gasps for air, as Daimyo's hold is choking the larger man. Botaro grabs Daimyo's wrist to try to pull himself off of Daimyo's grasp, but is unable to move the fighters hand. "How. . . . .can. .this. . .. . .be?" He asked Daimyo in between gasps. Daimyo glared at him in response, hate seemed to burn in his gaze as he looked upon him. Botaro kicks Daimyo as hard as he can in his stomach. To his surprise Daimyo doesn't flinch from his blow, Daimyo's face visibly changes to seething anger.  
  
The red glow around Daimyo's body intensifies it's brightness. Botaro tries to quickly wiggle himself out of Daimyo's hold, knowing what this was leading up to. But Daimyo's grasp was solid, the giant was at Daimyo's mercy.  
  
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Daimyo cries out, applying all the hatred that has exploded out from within him.  
  
"Nnnnoooooo!" Botaro screams as the red light engulfs him. The end result of Daimyo's maddened scream is a violent explosion.  
  
BOOM!  
  
An explosion that erupts from the outer wall of the castle sends cement and debris flying into the night's sky. As the pieces lose their momentum into the air, they rain back onto the planet, hitting buildings, ground and landing on the occasional soldier involved in this blood soaked battle. Ryoko heard the explosion over the rest of the chaos that was continuing outside of the castle. She wasn't able to see the explosion, but she was able to catch a small glimpse out of the corner of her eye. She and her demons were still trying to buy the others the time they would need. These warriors were indeed brave, even though a large number of their forces have fallen to her and her demons they still bravely fought on.  
  
Tenchi. I hope you are well.   
  
Where once was a wall was now a hole in front of Daimyo. Blood painted the rim of the hole that allowed him to be able to see outside the castle. Botaro was nowhere to be seen, although a single boot of his lay on the ground, some blood covering the top of it.  
Daimyo appeared to be calmed down now, he was no longer enraged and yelling, but he was still in his transformed like state. It seemed he had finally been able to finish off Botaro once and for all. He was no contemplating on what he was to do next.  
  
"Well done Daimyo." A voice came from nowhere.  
  
Daimyo took a defensive position ready for anyone to try messing with him. A large blue jewel rises from the ground as it appears from thin air. Then just as suddenly as the gem appeared, the face of a well aged man fades into view, but still remains like a ghostly visage.  
  
"You have finally unlocked your full potential." The aged face spoke again.  
  
"Who are you?" He asked confused, wondering if this was a deity that he should kneel before or not.  
  
"I am but a servant of my lady, Tokimi. I believe that you have already met her."  
  
He paused for a moment to think of any women he had met, then suddenly he remembered his dream. "You mean that woman from my dream a few nights ago?"  
  
"Yes." D3 replied, while closing his eyes and nodding his head to get his answer across clearly.  
  
"What do you want from me?"  
  
"My lady wants to show you your purpose. Your destiny. You have unlocked your powers, but still lack the knowledge of your abilities. I am here to show you the door to the reason of your existence."  
  
As D3 finishes his reply a door appears in front of Daimyo. He steps back in light of what is happening to him.  
  
The reason of my existence. My destiny? This is a lot to take in. He thought to himself.  
  
"Enter the door and all your questions will be answered. You will be empowered with your full strength and you will truly become unbeatable in the universe."  
  
Daimyo took a couple of steps toward the doorway before he noticed his body walking toward it without him deciding on whether or not he wanted to accept this offer. He felt that there was something wrong with going with this offer, but there was a part of him that wanted to accept it. To truly become unbeatable again, to the point of where no challenger could defeat him, to become the Dragon of the Soe once again. He soon discovered in himself, that he would willingly make any deal to become what he once was. A few days ago he believed he just needed more training, but now he understands that he needs to gain his full potential with the scales. He slowly approaches the door and grasps the handle of the door. He pauses, searching his soul again to see if this was what he felt he wanted to do. Having found no objection to this action within him, he pulls the door open and steps through.  
  
A steady beeping noise causes a young sleeper to stir in her bed as the sound brings her out of her sleep. Slowly opening her eyes, the world comes back into focus and she becomes more aware of her surroundings. A familiar voice gently speaks her name as she begins to move in her bed.  
  
"Welcome back Sasami." Washu greeted from her futon that she had sat next to the small princesses bed.  
  
Remembering what she was about to do before waking up in this bed had her slightly confused. "What happened?"  
  
"You passed out on your way out of my lab. Judging from the changes, I'd say it was from your assimilation with Tsunami."  
  
"What do you mean changes?" She asked, confused about Washu's answer.  
  
"Could you please stand up for me Sasami?"  
  
"O..Ok." Sasami slid off the bed and stood up straight. She noticed Washu stood shorter than usual.  
  
"Washu? Did you make yourself smaller?"  
  
Washu grinned as she replied. "No Sasami. You made yourself taller."  
  
Sasami looked herself over, Washu spoke the truth. She noticed that her legs were longer, her hair was also more full and lengthy. She also took notice that her chest seemed to be developing as well.  
  
"It seems you've aged a couple of years in your sleep Sasami. I would say you look around twelve now, possibly a young thirteen. It's been interesting watching you grow so much within a few hours."  
  
Sasami inhales sharply. "Has the others returned yet?"  
  
Washu shakes her head. "No, they haven't returned yet. I was actually monitoring the readings I was receiving from the coordinates of Daimyo's planet during your nap."  
  
"Are they alright?"  
  
"I can't say for sure, but knowing them, I'm sure they're fine. I was recording the energy readings that Ryoko has been generating for a little bit now. It seems that she's in a big battle at the moment."  
  
An orange colored energy sword emerges out of the back of a soldier of Draka. The young man, who was just run through releases a cry of pain as he is tossed aside by the woman who had been fighting the reserve army. After the man was tossed aside, she took a defensive posture with her sword ready to dispatch the next soldier, but looking around her she found no one challenging her.  
Catching her breath, Ryoko looked about her. Bodies now littered the landscape of this bludgeoned battlefield. Bodies were piled upon bodies of where the warriors fell to Ryoko and her demons. There were a few stray soldiers running away and being mangled by the demons that were still lingering. Seeing that the battle was now over, Ryoko dismissed the demons she had summoned. As her minions faded away, Ryoko fell to the ground on her knees, breathing hard from the fierceness of the fighting.  
Ryoko looked herself over, she now noticed that she was painted red with the blood of the fallen soldiers that she had killed during the battle. Her battle suit was mostly red now. There were a couple of black patches that the blood seemed to miss covering, but she felt the drying warmth of it all over.  
Ryoko didn't know how to feel at this moment. She felt saddened, remorseful, and confused, but most of all she felt sick. She felt a convulsion in her throat, she quickly bent down on all fours and began to vomit. As she spat up anything that was currently in her digestive system, she began to cry as well.  
  
What is happening to me? Why. . .why am I feeling these emotions?   
  
She did not know why she felt so remorseful about this. It isn't the first time she had killed, Kagato saw to that. She was finally able to regain control of her stomach, regaining her composure from her vomiting fit, she sat up and took in the sight of the mutilated bodies scattered about. She inhales sharply and holds her breath when the knowledge of why she felt different now suddenly hit her.  
  
This. . . .this was my doing. I felt no guilt for what I had done in the past because it was Kagato's will that destroyed lives and places, so deep inside I knew that I wasn't to blame. But this. . . She looked around her in a paniced manner. All this was my will. There is no one else to blame for this horror but me.   
  
She gazed down at her blood covered arms again in dismay. She saw her hands trembling at the sight of so much blood on her. She fazed out of her battle suit back into her blue and yellow dress and looked again. The blood still covered her arms.  
  
Ah, it soaked through. She thought in a panic. I can't let Tenchi see me like this!   
  
She rubbed her hands over her arms, but only smeared the blood that remained on her. Seeing that she wasn't getting it off of her, she wiped her forearm on the body of a dead soldier. Only to see she smeared more blood by wiping over an open wound on the man's body. She could hear her breathe quickening as she began to panic more. She was afraid Tenchi would see her like this, causing him to fear her again.  
She flew up into the air to get away from the blood. She phases from her spot in the air and reappears next to the stone wall of the castle. She flew around the wall, hoping to find some pipe that would hold water to let her cleanse herself of this blood that was shed by her hands.  
Joy highlights her blood stained features as she spots a pipe running up the wall. She flies down to it and cuts the pipe asunder, causing the water contained within to gush out onto the ground below. She phases out of her dress and stands beneath the cold water. She places her hands against the wall and lowers her head down to let the water rinse through her hair. Standing there watching the mixture of blood and water trickle down her legs and onto the ground, she feels her eyes tearing up again. The thought of Tenchi being appalled at the sight that she has made onto this world freighted her. She cared deeply for the young man and deeply cared about how he felt for her. Even if it wasn't love, it would still be better than fear or shame.  
  
"Oh Tenchi. . . . . ." She drops to her knees and cradles herself. "How could you love something so covered in death?"  
  
This day was beginning to become more of a mental challenge than Tenchi thought it would become. He was currently playing chess with Trowa, the emperor of Draka. The emperor laid down the results of whoever wins. If Trowa wins the game, Tenchi goes back home through the portal, leaving Trowa in rule over his world. If Tenchi wins, Trowa steps down from his throne and is exiled. So far the game has been a mental bend. With the exception of a couple of pawns from either side taken out of the game, they were both still evenly matched. Currently it was Tenchi's turn to move.  
  
"So tell me, why is it you wish to overthrow my rule?"  
  
The emperor's question gave pause to Tenchi's concentration on the board game. "I have not been on this world for very long, but from what I have seen of your world, a change is deeply needed." He answered moving his bishop out from it's starting place.  
  
"It's funny isn't it. The strong is meant to govern over the weak. The weak need the strongest to protect them, but when they get the strongest ruler they can have, some of the weak hate the rule of the strong, even though they are needed. Would you agree that the strong should rule over the weak?"  
  
"I believe the strong should help protect those weaker than them, not to dominate them."  
  
"Perhaps that works where you come from, but here that does not apply." Trowa responded, moving his knight.  
  
"Aaaahhhh!" A cry from behind erupts from out of nowhere. The sound of flesh being pierced with steel, soon follows the cry. Trowa moves in his chair like he was hit from behind. Tenchi's eyes grow in surprise as Mireya's face appears over the shoulder of Trowa. Rage burning on her face as she plunges the sword deeper into the emperor's back.  
The emperor coughs up blood as he turns to see his would-be assassin. Anger is written upon his face when he see's that it's Mireya attacking him. "You?!" He looks back at Tenchi. "It wasn't you. . .I should have worried about. . . . . .It was her. ."  
  
"DIE!!" Mireya screams at him, pushing down on the sword with all her strength to end Trowa's rule faster.  
  
Trowa rises out of his chair and attempts to walk, but falls upon his knees. He gurgles up more blood from his mouth, before being able to speak again. "It wasn't suppose to end. . like. .this." He falls forward face down upon the floor, dead.  
  
Mireya insures his death more so by twisting the sword a little, still in a fit of rage, she continues yelling at him.  
  
"This is for everyone who's suffered and died because of you!!" She cried at him, using all of her breathe in the scream.  
  
She began to calm down when she couldn't get the sword to plunge any deeper, due to the marble like floor of the room. She leaned down onto the large sword, gasping deeply to get air back into her body. She turned her head toward Tenchi, finally realizing that he was still there and hadn't made any noise. He looked afraid of her, or was still in shock over what had just happened suddenly without warning.  
  
"You fool." She spoke to him. "Your wasting time by playing him a game of chess, when the others could be dying fighting everyone else." She questioned him, her eyes glaring at him.  
  
"I'm sorry. He challenged me to the game so I accepted. I was just being honorable."  
  
"Honorable. Honorable?! Do you think he was ever honorable? He was a cutthroat, ruthless creature that only deserved a slower demise!"  
  
Tenchi hung his head down at her words. Then a thought came to mind.  
  
"The others! We need to go let everyone know that this is over now. You and Daimyo can now give your world a better chance. That would get the fighting to stop right?"  
  
Mireya turned her head back toward the throne and took notice of Trowa's axe that stood leaning against the throne. "Yes, that would probably work."  
  
"We have to find the others." Tenchi spoke as he began walking toward the large double doors.  
  
A blow from behind into Tenchi's lower back causes him to hit the ground in pain. He rolls onto his left side to look back. He saw Mireya walking over to the throne and pick up the fallen emperor's battle axe. There was no rush in her movements, which meant that she was the one that delivered to blow to him.  
  
"Mireya? What. . .What's going on?"  
  
Mireya glared at him as she slowly walked over to him, carrying the axe with the blade pointed down toward the ground. "Did you think that I was blind? Did you think that I didn't know?" Her voice increased in the second question. "I won't let you hurt her." She spoke softly, with hate present in her words.  
  
Tenchi tried to get to his feet, but every attempt to stand gave him great pain. Mireya circled around him, with the axe in clear view of Tenchi. "You don't deserve her." She stopped in front of him and grasped the hilt of the axe with both hands. "Don't worry Tenchi." She said raising the axe above her head. "I'll tell them you died heroically killing Trowa."  
  
"Tenchi!!"  
  
The sound of a familiar voice causes Mireya to pause in delivering the final blow to Tenchi. Mireya quickly glances up to see Ayeka and Mihoshi running toward them.  
  
"NNOO!!" She screamed out. Purplish energy shoots out from Ayeka's hand and knocks Mireya off of her feet. Mireya cries out being knocked back several feet onto the floor.  
  
Ayeka and Mihoshi run to Tenchi's side, both kneel down to see if he was alright.  
  
"Tenchi are you ok?" Mihoshi asked concern was present in her tone.  
  
"Yeah, I'm ok. Aaahh." He cringed while trying to get up off the floor. "Well maybe not in top form right now."  
  
Ayeka's head quickly snapped facing to where Mireya was thrown back. "Mireya!" Ayeka yelled standing up. "How could you do this to him?! Answer me!!"  
  
Mireya had been knocked over onto her stomach and was slow to sit up. Ayeka stomps closer to her, furious that she had just tried to murder Tenchi.  
  
How dare she do this! She knows that I love Tenchi and that the love she wants cannot be!!   
  
Mireya still had her back turned to Ayeka, she propped herself off the floor with one arm, the other appeared to be cupped around her front. Ayeka was about to give her the third degree, when something caused her to pause entirely. There was some blood on the floor underneath Mireya.  
  
"He does not love you Ae. He was going to hurt you."  
  
Ayeka barely heard her reply, her concentration was focused on the small bit of blood that lay where Mireya's upper torso laid a moment before.  
  
I. . .I didn't hit her hard with my power. . . .did I?   
  
"Mireya. .?" Ayeka spoke the woman's name gently, anger and hatred completely void in her voice.  
  
She walked around Mireya to see the woman clutching her stomach with her hand. Blood seeped through the cracks of her fingers confirming to Ayeka that she had injured the woman more than she had intended too. She sat down behind Mireya and laid the woman's head to rest in her lap. Ayeka felt surprised when she looked down at Mireya, she didn't have anger in her eyes, instead she looked at Ayeka with the same caring eyes.  
  
"He was going to hurt you Ae. After you left, he and the other woman embraced each other." Recalling the day seemed to anger her. "Not even three hours passed after your departure and they were embracing." Mireya covered her mouth with her fist as she coughed.  
  
Tenchi was close by enough to hear Mireya's words. "Ayeka." He called to get her attention. "What she is saying is partly true. But Ryoko hugged me after I gave her back her gems. I was. . . .afraid that I was losing everyone. After you left, Ryoko said that she was leaving and never returning, I panicked and convinced her to stay. I'm sorry if there was some confusion about that." He addressed them both, being helped sit up with Mihoshi's help.  
  
Ayeka refocused her attention on Mireya's wound. "We need to get you back to Earth. Miss Washu can help you with your wound." Ayeka comforted her, trying to pull her arm to get her to stand up. Mireya tilted her hand back off of her wound and saw the blood that flowed from the wound. Seeing enough, she tightly cupped the wound with her hand again. She saw that the blood was dark, she had seen wounds like that on anyone injured in combat before. She knew the wound was deep, perhaps too deep.  
  
Mireya and Ayeka looked at each other, Mireya slightly lowered her head and closed her eyes as she shook her head gently to tell Ayeka what she knew. "Ae, I would not make it to the gate. I would say that I have a few minutes."  
  
Ayeka fell into complete denial. "No, no it's not as bad as you think Mireya. It's only a little cut, we can bandage it up for now and then we'll take you back to Washu and she'll fix you right up. You'll see, you'll be as good as new in a couple of days." She said, kneeling down beside Mireya.  
  
Ayeka would have trailed on, but Mireya gently grabbed her chin and turned her face directly toward hers. Mireya had a serene look about her face. "Ae, I am dying. You and I both know this."  
  
Ayeka's eyes began to water up. "No. I cannot accept that Mireya. I won't. You can't die Mireya, I need you here."  
  
Tenchi could tell that this was a conversation that was to be just between the two. "Mihoshi?"  
  
"Oh, yes Tenchi, what is it?"  
  
"Could you help me get to the court yard? I can't seem to walk on my own right now."  
  
"Sure Tenchi."  
  
Mihoshi squats down to let Tenchi get an arm over her shoulder. Slowly they both get up and they begin to gently walk to the doors. Ayeka and Mireya both see that the only two other people are leaving them to their privacy.  
  
Mireya gently runs her hand across Ayeka's cheek, Ayeka in turn places her hand over Mireya's. Ayeka looks down upon the strong, yet gentle woman who had such strong feelings for her, even though she was dying because of her. Tears trailed down Ayeka's face, even though she had not yet begun to weep for her friend.  
  
"Mireya. . .I. . .forgive me. . ."  
  
Mireya wipes her thumb across Ayeka's cheeks to dry the tears that had formed paths down her face. "Do not cry Ae. Tears do not do your beauty any justice."  
  
Ayeka smiles. "You give me to much credit. Ever since I first saw you in the prison block, I thought you had the face of an angel."  
  
A warm smile glows on Mireya's face. "Thank you Ae. You don't know how much that means to me."  
  
"Mireya. . .I didn't mean for this to. . ."  
  
"I know Ae. I want you to know that meeting you has been the greatest thing to ever happen to me. I only wish we had more time together, but as short as it's been, I wouldn't have changed anything."  
  
"Sniff I'm not ready to say goodbye."  
  
Mireya cups Ayeka's chin and turns her face directly toward hers. "You never will Ae. I will always be by your side. I will be your guardian spirit."  
  
A silence soon came over the room. The two sat in the silence for a moment, both wanted to say more, but just didn't know how to put them into words.  
  
"Ae?" Mireya said, breaking the silence.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I'm. . .I'm starting to feel a little cold."  
  
Like a mothers instinct, Ayeka wrapped her arms around Mireya's shoulders and began rubbing up and down her arms. Mireya cringed at the pain that stung her side sharply. Ayeka inhales sharply at the woman's pain, fearing the worst and feeling completely helpless to aid the woman who had helped her so much. "Ae? I have one last thing I would like to ask, if you wouldn't mind." "Name it." Ayeka replied without hesitation. "I would like to. .Ugghh. ." She paused in her request to grip her side more from the pain. ". .to have but just one kiss." Ayeka felt unsure of Mireya's request, it was true that Ayeka felt deeply for her protector, but she was unsure if she would feel comfortable showing that deep of an emotion. But that thought didn't last long in Ayeka's mind, Mireya was dying because of her misuse of power, she would gladly do anything for her friends last wish. "For you Mireya. .anything." She replied in near a whisper. Ayeka brushed Mireya's hair from her face and bent down, aligning her face with Mireya's. Mireya placed her free hand onto the back of Ayeka's shoulder as the princess's lips came into contact with hers. Both girls barely parted their lips as the kiss meets and both close their eyes to experience the feeling of it. To Mireya this kiss felt perfect, it was with the one person she felt at one with. Ayeka couldn't help but let the extra water that had built up in her eyes spill out and trail down onto Mireya's face as they shared a sisterly kiss. Mireya's free hand grasps Ayeka's kimono tightly, then just as suddenly she relaxes her grip. Ayeka quickly opens her eyes and breaks the kiss, she had seen a lot of romance-tragedies to know what may have just taken place. "Mireya?" She looks her friend in the face and sees she still has her eyes closed from the kiss. "Mireya, open your eyes." She asked at a rushed pace. Ayeka gently shakes Mireya to get a response from her. Mireya's hand falls from Ayeka's shoulder with a lifeless thud to the marble-like floor. "No. .No Mireya you must open your eyes. Please don't leave me Mireya?!" She begins to cry as she still sees no reaction from her friend. "I order you! As my protector, I order you to open your eyes Mireya!" Again, there was no reaction from her white haired protector. Mireya's face was tranquil, almost looking like she was having a peaceful dream. "Please Mireya. Don't go. I need you here with me." She whispered to her. The shock of her friends death seemed to pass as she now felt the need to morn overwhelm her. "Oh. . .Oh Mireya. . . . . . .What have I done?. . . . . . . . . . .What have I done?"   
She places her head into Mireya's shoulder and begins to weep. She does not try to hold her tears back any longer, she let's all her remorse and sadness flow out onto her fallen friends shoulder. With Mireya still held tightly in her arms, she gently rocks herself back and forth as she cries on. As the princess's mind slips into an oblivion of despair, the words of her goddess resurface from her memory.  
  
"Abandon your hate, or you may lose more than you want too."  
  
It had been a long ten minutes. Thirty minutes before, Mihoshi had helped Tenchi reach the outer walls gate where Ryoko had been sitting. She had sat there after getting as much blood off of her as she could get, still taking in the aftermath of the battle. She heard their approach, but chose not to acknowledge their presence until they were practically right behind her. During the first few minutes, she was told what had happened and why Ayeka wasn't currently with them. During the time, Ryoko avoided looking at Tenchi's face, she didn't want to see how he would look at her right now. He had to have seen what had happened out here and she didn't want him to have fear or doubt of her present in his gaze. So she volunteered to find Daimyo, in order to avoid looking at Tenchi. She had flown through the hallways of the castle to find him, she came to this one hall that had a large hole blown onto the side of it. Seeing the hole caused her to remember the explosion that occurred during the battle, she looked about, seeing the blood that covered parts of the walls that were still standing. She figured it wasn't Daimyo's remains, due to the large bloody boot she found laying on the floor, it was too large to have belonged to him. She had spent about twenty minutes looking around the castle, but didn't see any sign of Daimyo, so she returned to the front of the castle where Tenchi and Mihoshi was.  
  
"Are you ok Tenchi?" Ryoko asked avoiding looking at him.  
  
"Yeah, I think I'm going to be ok, I won't be sparing with grandpa for a couple of days though."  
  
Ryoko couldn't help but smile at Tenchi's joke. "I'm glad your safe Tenchi."  
  
"I'm glad your safe also."  
  
Ryoko's head jerked up quickly, her eyes brightened up to a brilliant yellow. "Really?" She asked looking at him.  
  
"Of course. I care for all of you."  
  
She smiles at him. "I'm glad."  
  
They both share a smile, then the shuffling of a footstep catches their attention. Ayeka had walked out of the castle, her head hung downward, to where her bangs covered her eyes. She walked like a barely living zombie, she placed her hand on the wall to support herself up as she stopped before them.  
  
"Ayeka. . ." Tenchi softly spoke her name.  
  
She merely sniffled. "Let's go home."  
  
With that Ayeka begins walking again. Ryoko gets up and helps Tenchi perch himself onto her back. Mihoshi walks near Ayeka, as they all walk back toward the gate. The gate that brought them to this nightmarish world, the gate that would return them all home.  
  
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm sorry it took a while to write this chapter, life keeps taking up my free time. I'll try to get the next chapter out as soon as I can, but cannot promise anything. Thank you for reading. 


	16. The Calm Before the Storm

I do not own any of the Tenchi Muyo characters. I am in no way making any money by writing this story. I write for the fun of it.

Shogun Muyo: Chapter 16 – The Calm Before the Storm

The forest had never looked so good. All the green beauty of nature had a more enlightening feeling rather than the lifeless void Draka turned out to be. Ayeka hadn't said a word since they left the grounds of the castle. No one had said much of anything for a while, no one wished to relive the events on Draka so soon after leaving it. But Tenchi felt that he had to say something to Ayeka.

"Ayeka?"

The group stops walking as Tenchi breaks the uncomfortable silence that had seemed to stretch on for the longest time. Ayeka didn't turn to face him, she had just stopped walking when he requested her attention.

"Ayeka, I'm sorry about Mireya."

"It's. . . . . . .it's alright."

"It's all my fault. I should have seen that she may have taken it wrong and explained it sooner. . ."

Ayeka shakes her head. "No lord Tenchi, it is not your fault. If the blame is to fall on anyone it would be me. We can't change what has happened, no matter how hard we wish it. . . .we cannot change the past. We can only move forward with it by learning from it. I have learned that the hard way, I only wish I had learned that lesson sooner, then Mireya would be alive right now." She turns away from the others and walks over to a tree and places her left hand onto the base of it and stares off into thought.

"Lord Tenchi, there's something I should tell you. All of you, I suppose. It. . . .It's difficult for me to say . . . ."

"Maybe you should just tell Tenchi whatever it is alone. If it's that hard for you to say Ayeka." Ryoko suggested, still holding Tenchi onto her back.

"No, I should say this now. I need to say this, more for myself. .I. . .I need to accept what has happened." She turns back around to face everyone. "Tenchi. Everyone, I. . . . .That is on Draka, I. . . ." Her voice seemed to catch in her throat, she wanted to let it all out, but part of her still fought to deny it. "I. . . .I was. . . . . ." Tears trail down her face anew during her struggle to let it out. ". . . . . . .Raped." Ayeka looses the strength in her legs as she falls to her knees on the ground and begins to cry. "I was. .raped. .several times. . . . .I. . .I just wanted to die. I remember. . .praying to Tsunami to let me die,. . . .but I didn't. I. .I even tried to kill myself. . . .by drowning myself in the toilet. . .of the cell." She cried the whole time, she gave pause to cry a little more.

"Oh. . .Ayeka. . ." Mihoshi spoke softly.

Regaining her composure from crying, she continued. "For the first few days. . .I kept telling myself that you all would come for me. I wasn't afraid at all, I just kept thinking 'Any moment Tenchi and the others would barge in here and free me. . . . . .but you never came." She hangs her head down. "I had all but given up hope, if it hadn't been for Mireya. . . . .I would have taken my life." Being there, in that moment listening to Ayeka pour her heart out to them was enough to depress anyone. Even Ryoko felt blame for Ayeka's misfortune on Draka.

If I hadn't started that fight. . . .none of this would have happened. I even teased her in the onsen when she first came back about her and Mireya. She closed her eyes and looked away from Ayeka, ashamed of her actions. Mihoshi walks over and crouches down next to her, her eyes tearing up.

"Ayeka, I feel so sad for what happened to you. I just. . .Aaahhhh." She lays her face into Ayeka's shoulder and begins crying on her. Ayeka pats Mihoshi on the head to comfort the blondes cries.

"Thank you Mihoshi, I appreciate the thought."

Ryoko felt she had to say something to lighten the moment. "Hey Princess, that doesn't matter now, your back here on earth. So cheer up, I'm sure Sasami is anxious to see you again, so let's get going." Ayeka almost wanted to glare at Ryoko, her words sounded cold to her feelings, but she knew that Ryoko had good intentions to cheer her up. "Your right." She agreed, rising to her feet and wiping any dirt that may have gotten on her kimono off. "I would be most happy to see Sasami again."

"Then let's go Ayeka." Tenchi agreed from Ryoko's back.

They continue their track through the forest until they reach the woods. They have finally returned to their home, none surprisingly Washu was standing out on the back porch of the house awaiting their return. She smiled and waved at them.

"Hey, Welcome back!" She quickly brings her hands onto her face with mock panic on her face. "Oh no." She runs over and rubs her head against Tenchi, while Ryoko is still carrying him. "Oooh, did my little guinea pig get hurt. Don't worry, mommy will make it all better." She finishes with a slight sadistic sounding laugh.

"Ehehehe." He pretends to laugh at her joke, while wondering if he should have welcomed Mireya's final blow.

It was at this point, Mihoshi noticed a young lady slowly coming out of the house, almost afraid or timid of everyone else. The young woman had bluish hair like Sasami's, but seemed to be a few years older than her.

"Oh my, it looks like we have company." Mihoshi guessed.

Everyone looked at the new girl, Washu turned confused to what Mihoshi was talking about.

"Hmm? Oh. No Mihoshi, that's not a guest, that's Sasami." Washu corrected the detective.

"What!" Everyone asked in near harmony.

Sasami cupped her hands behind her back and gently kicked at some dirt on the porch. "Yeah."

"Sasami? What happened?" Ayeka asked her little sister, who didn't seem so little anymore.

"Tsunami and I are. . ." She trailed off, figuring she didn't really need to finish the sentence.

"Oh, I didn't expect something like this. . ." Ayeka trailed off in thought.

Tenchi coughs from Ryoko's back in order to get everyone to remember that he needed to get medical attention.

"Oh sorry Tenchi." Ryoko apologizes to him.

"Well take the poor boy to the lab, I'll get to work on him as soon as possible." Washu directs Ryoko.

As Ryoko and Mihoshi walk off to help get Tenchi to Washu's lab, Washu walks over to Ayeka. The two look at each other for a moment in silence. The faces of both girls is hard to read emotion wise.

"What you did took great courage Ayeka."

"Huh?"

"Telling everyone about what happened to you, that took more courage than most people have."

Ayeka still looked confused. How did she know about that? Washu pointed to her head. "I have a link with Ryoko, everything she knows, I know."

"Oh. Thank you."

"You took a giant leap to recovering from your ordeal. I assume you know, that this incident will always be in your memory, you'll never be able to forget about it. But with my help, we can get you to where you can live with it."

A smile comes onto Ayeka's face. "Perhaps we can help each other."

Washu smiles at Ayeka's comment. "Perhaps." She steps to the side and gestures with her hand to let Ayeka enter the house first.

Everyone was hanging around in Washu's lab as she was examining Tenchi's back. Ayeka stood in front of a tank, silently watching the aquatic life inside swim around. Ryoko sat on the edge of a platform that Washu usually worked on that overlooked a garden. Washu's examination of Tenchi would probably have gone faster if she didn't have to turn around and tell Mihoshi not to touch something every few seconds.

"Good news my little guinea pig. . .Hey I told you not to touch that!" Washu yelled at Mihoshi, who was poking around one of Washu's machines.

"Oh. .I'm sorry, I'll just sit over here." Mihoshi replied. As Mihoshi walks over to bother Ryoko, Washu turns around and covers her face with her right hand.

"I swear she'll be the death of me." She mumbles to herself.

She sees Tenchi out of the corner of her eye and remembers she was telling him something.

"Oh, sorry Tenchi, as I was saying. As far as I can tell you were lucky, you don't have any broken bones, but you won't be doing any strenuous work for a while."

"Boy that's great news little Washu. Thank you."

"I'm just glad this is over now, I feel bad about the loss of Mireya, she seemed like a nice girl. But there is something that is on my mind, I can't help but wonder what happened to Daimyo. Ryoko said she searched that castle from top to bottom and didn't see him. I wonder what became of him?" Washu spoke.

"I wish I knew little Washu. It's not like him to just disappear and leave us. But we felt it would be best for us to leave as soon as possible. Who knows he may show up sooner or later." He replied to her.

Washu's holotop computer appears in front of her, red and yellow lights flash onto the screen. She was surprised it had appeared, she didn't call it, it was programmed to alert her to any information that may require her immediate attention. She glances over the screen, Tenchi could tell from her facial reactions that it was something confusing.

"That's strange, I'm picking up a strange energy reaction taking place here in the lab."

"Very perceptive Washu." A strange voice addressed her.

A large red gem appeared in the middle of the room, a transparent image of an elderly mans head appears. The head is large, taking up the majority of the space between everyone.

"Ah, what is that!" Tenchi asked in shock.

"I am D3, I am a servant of my lady Tokimi. As the sisters had agreed, the time of reckoning is at hand. Your Hawk, shall now challenge our Dragon, the victor shall determine the choice of the direction the universe will soon head. The door here. ." The giant head motions to it's left, a door appears near Ryoko. "Will allow access to the Hawk of Legend and Tsunami alone. Anyone else who tries to enter will be killed by the transfer. You have eight hours to comply with the agreed time or your champion forfeits the battle." The head fades away as soon as quickly as it appeared, the gem follows soon after. Everyone stands around looking confused as to what had just occurred.

"Tokimi? That was the name that Clay spoke of when he tried to kidnap me." Washu spoke to herself.

"Somebody tell me what that was?" Ryoko demanded.

"I believe I can explain." Everyone's attention turns toward the garden, as lights appear and converge onto each other. The lights brighten and the goddess Tsunami appears as the lights quickly fade away.

"Tsunami?" Ayeka spoke, surprised to see her.

"Yes, he was correct, it is time, I had hoped it wouldn't come to pass this quickly." Tsunami spoke, more to herself than anyone else.

"Time for what!" Ryoko inquired, becoming annoyed that every answer only gave another question.

"A long time ago, my sister Tokimi developed a different opinion on how the universe should be run."

"What! You have a sister?" Ayeka asked, confused at this new information. "Actually Ayeka, I have two sisters, but that doesn't matter at the moment. Since we had a difference in opinion, we decided that the only solution to our problem would be to have a battle of champions. The champion who wins, allows the goddess to run the universe for the next thousand years, without objection from the other sister."

"Hey wait a minute. That head said the Hawk of Legend had to fight their fighter. But Tenchi can't fight, he's to badly injured!" Ryoko expressed her concern for Tenchi.

"Don't worry, I can fight." Tenchi assured them. Tenchi stands up from the bed he was on, but falls to the ground in pain from his back. "Um. . .I just need a little more time to rest though."

Tsunami smiles at Tenchi. "But Tenchi, you are not the hawk we speak of." All the jaws in the room, except for Tsunami's drops open from shock.

"What? But if Tenchi is not the Hawk, who is?" Ayeka asked. Tsunami smiles with a tranquil look about her face.

"The hawk I speak of is you. . . .Ryoko." She turns her head to Ryoko as she says her name. Everyone in the room who wasn't a goddess face-vaults onto the floor of the lab. Ryoko quickly recovers.

"What?" Ryoko immediately spits out. "But, but I can't be your hawk. Tenchi's the one with the light hawk wings."

"Yes, it is true, Tenchi possesses the power of the light hawk wings. However it was not because I chose him as my champion. When Tenchi and the others raced to rescue you from Kagato, I foresaw that he would have killed Tenchi, resulting in your death at his hands while trying to avenge his death. So I repaired his body so that he may live, and in doing so he tapped into my space trees power, allowing him to generate the wings."

"But. . . . .I can't be your champion. I'm not even one of your children. I was created by Washu."

"That is correct, Ryoko I did not create you. . . . .but my other sister did." She turned her head to Washu.

Washu stands like a statue frozen in place, while everyone else's eyes pop out wide as they look at Washu. "S. . .Si. . . .Sister?" Washu stuttered out, taking a couple of steps back and leans on a machine to support her during this overwhelming shock.

"Yes." Tsunami confirms. "But, if I'm your sister. . . .wouldn't that make me a. . . .a. . . ." Washu's voice seemed to trail off before she could finish the sentence.

"A goddess." Tsunami finished her sentence for her.

"A goddess. . .?" Washu repeated to let the information sink into her mind. Washu clasps her hands together and her eyes become sparkly. "That means I'm now the Greatest Scientific Genius Super Goddess Washu!" She begins laughing proudly at her new status.

Large sweatdrops develop onto everyone except Washu. Ayeka and Ryoko glare at Tsunami. "You just had to tell her that didn't you?" Ayeka asked in an unhappy tone. Ryoko merely growled at her. Tsunami hangs her head down. "I'm sorry."

Washu pauses in her laughter. "Hey, wait a minute. If I'm a goddess how come I don't remember being one?"

"Well. . . .technically your no longer a goddess right now Washu. When you were a goddess, you desired to have more. You wished to feel like mortals do, you yearned to experience love and bearing a child like they do. So you crossed over from our dimension, but to do so you had to lock away your power and memories and start anew. So your powers and memories formed into. . ."

"Ryoko's gems!" Washu deducted before Tsunami finished her sentence.

"Yes." Tsunami confirmed. "When you are killed or when you choose too, you can cross back."

"Hmm. . .I think I understand now what Tokimi wanted Clay to kidnap me for. She wanted to meet with me to talk me into not having Ryoko fight. Am I right?" Washu asks the goddess.

Tsunami nods her head.

"So I guess I should go through this door. Right?" Ryoko asks standing next to the door that appeared during D3's announcement.

"Why don't you hold off for a second while I take a couple of scans." Washu replies.

As Washu types on her keyboard, Ryoko becomes curious at what she's doing? "Scan for what?"

"Well I can scan for positron emissions, plasma frequencies, and inter- dimensional power readings, just to name a few." She replies continuing to type commands into her computer. She looks up from the screen at her daughter when she doesn't hear any response from her. Instead she sees Ryoko's right eyebrow curved up and a completely lost look about her. Washu exhales from not having anyone else with nearly as much intellect as her around to understand what she says sometimes. "What I'm trying to say is that I can scan the doorway in order to see where it could lead, how many beings are there, and how powerful they could be."

"Oh, well why didn't you just say that in the first place."

Washu exhales again. "I did."

"I can find that all out just by walking through it. I can take on anyone on the other side of this door, no problem."

"I wouldn't do that." Washu replies, reading the information displayed from her scans. "According to my data there is a very large power reading on the other end. And. . as much as I would hate to say it. . .it looks like it could overpower you Ryoko."

"Baloney. Give me ten minutes and it'll all be said and done." Ryoko grasps the door.

"Ryoko you'll be killed!" Washu yelled, turning from her computer. "Comparing this energy reading to yours, your no match for it, even if you had all three gems again."

Ryoko was beginning to get frustrated as she grit her teeth in anger. "Then what am I supposed to do? I can't get stronger. I got to a point in that dimension you created for me to train in doesn't affect me anymore besides we only have eight hours right?"

The room fell silent as the attention of everyone in the room was focused on the small red haired genius. She cups her chin as she goes into deep thought for a solution to the current problem. Her eyes shift to the side as she looks at Ayeka from the corner of her eyes. "Hmm." She hummed in thought of an idea. She extends her hands over her keyboard and begins entering a calculation.

"Hmm?" Ryoko leans over her mothers shoulder and looks down at the screen to see what Washu was trying. As the results of her calculation are displayed on her screen she cups and rubs her chin. "Hmm, that could work." She seemed to speak to herself.

"What, what is it?" Ryoko inquired.

"Well for starters you should consider yourself lucky your mom is considered a mad scientist little Ryoko. Because any normal, boring scientist wouldn't have considered this."

"Ooouuhh, what IS IT?" She raised her voice higher in frustration that she was getting the run around from Washu with a straight answer.

"Allright everyone listen up. I may have something that could help even the odds, but it all depends on the cooperation of both Ryoko and Ayeka."

Ayeka looked surprised that Washu was including her in a plan. "W. .What is it?" She asks.

"I have an invention that I created a while ago that may prove useful." Washu begins to explain.

"What does this invention do?" Ryoko asked. "Well in short it would amalgam you and Ayeka together."

"Ama. .what?" Ayeka caresses her chin. "Amalgam. . . .I've heard that used before, what does it mean?" She asked Washu.

Washu felt herself redden up from frustration of having to re-explain herself over and over today. "For crying out loud, it means a fusion, a combination, a joining of two beings creating one new one!" Washu vented her frustration in her answer, nearly showing fangs through her explanation. "Need I continue!"

Everyone froze into place; quickly and clearly shaking their heads no in order to show her they understood.

"Finally."

"But if this machine does what you say it can, won't that mean that Ryoko and I would be stuck together forever?" Ayeka asked.

"Not at all, the process is reversible, so it's as temporary as you want it to be." Washu smiles at her genius during her response. "Now I've calculated that the combined powers of Ayeka and Ryoko would place them nearly equal with their opponent, so we'll be in good shape if the process goes the way it should."

"What happens if it doesn't?" Her cyan haired daughter asked.

Washu smiles and scratches the back of her head. "Well it's highly unlikely anything will go wrong, but there is a very, very, very slim chance you'll end up. . . . Cough geneticmushonthefloorCough " Washu speedily replied during the last part of her response, covering up the possible disaster with a couple of coughs.

"WHAT!" Both girls respond in unison.

"Oh forget that. There's no way I'm going to do that." Ryoko responds.

"Please Ryoko." Tsunami pleads. "If you do not try, Tokimi will win and run the universe the way she sees fit. She will force her will upon all living creatures in the universe, whereas Washu and I believed to remain out of the way to allow everything to develop on their own."

"I could care less about the whole universe." She replies turning her back to Tsunami and facing Tenchi. "But. . . .for Tenchi. . . . . . . .anything."

Tsunami exhales with relief. "Thank you Ryoko. And what about you Ayeka, will you help us?"

Ayeka lowers her head away from Tsunami's face. "You would ask me to help you, even after I cursed your name on Jurai?"

"Ayeka, I know that you did not mean what you said. You were too blinded by the hate that had consumed you to see what you were doing. I know that you are going through hard times now Ayeka. If I had it my way I wouldn't ask anything of you. . . .but I don't. I ask you again Ayeka, will you help us?"

"If you had asked me this question a couple of months ago. . .I would have said yes without hesitation. But after everything that has been happening, I have lowered myself down to something I never thought I could be. I would like so much to become that person that I once was again." She glances over to the bed ridden Tenchi. "To begin to become that person again, I say yes."

"All right then, let's get going shall we!" Washu gleamed. She types commands into her computer and a doorway appears. "It's through here." She informed first to walk through the door.

The new section of lab the others haven't seen before was darker than the other portions of Washu's lab. The lighting was dim enough to where you could make out the outlining of the machine, but looking past it was darkness. The invention Washu spoke of consisted of three cylinder shaped containers that had all sorts of wires and tubes connecting all three together.  
Washu summons a chair out of the floor to allow the injured Tenchi to sit on.

"Ok watch your step. Especially you bubble head." Washu addressed Mihoshi.

"Oh wow. What is this?" Mihoshi asked, her mind seemed to trail off in wonder.

"This is a little something I tinkered with a while back. But don't worry, it's still in perfect working order."

Ryoko walks over and looks closely at one of the containers. "So how does this thing work?"

"It's simple really. You go into that one over there and Miss Ayeka enters this one. After the process is complete, one new person comes walking out of the center one."

"Um. . . .are you sure this is safe?" Ayeka asked, running her finger over one of the containers and brushes the dust off of her finger.

"Of course." She answers turning her back to the girls. "Theoretically." She whispers under her breathe. "Alright let's fire her up." Washu declares, typing commands into the computer.

Lights on the machine come on and highlight the form of the machine into better view. Electricity arches between a couple of lightning rods in the room, giving the experiment a Frankenstein movie feel to it. The two outer containers slide open doors to allow the test subjects entry, as they crack open steam from the coolant tubes on Washu's creation flow softly along the floor like an eerie fog in an old horror movie.

"Oop, I nearly forgot." Washu spoke to herself as she remembered something she wanted to do. "Ok, both of you take either tube and I'll get ready."

The small genius walks over to the wall and a small portion of it slides open, revealing a small room hidden inside. After stepping through the doorway, the door closes behind her. Ayeka and Ryoko decide it is best to do what the genius asks and hesitantly each enters their own container. Both girls take a long look at the others before the doors slide shut again.  
After the doors slide shut, the door where Washu entered opens up and she comes walking out. She is wearing a white science lab coat, wearing large latex gloves and has large safety goggles nestled in the maim of her hair. "I'm ready now." She notifies the others, with a large grin on her face. She walks over to a wall where a large switch is located. She pulls the goggles down over her eyes and grasps the switch, which was currently pointed toward the ceiling, and turns to the others. "Let's get started shall we?" She spoke throwing the switch down.   
At the drop of the switch the room becomes brightly lite by the large bolts of electricity coursing between the coils that are set up around the room. The large machine hums to life as the experiment begins.  
Tenchi was feeling like he was in an old American Frankenstein film complete with the mad scientist laughing manically, as Washu was letting out a howl of laughter that was a little scary to the others. The crackle of the electricity running rampant was very loud, but they were still able to hear the petite scientists fun that she was experiencing.  
After a couple of minutes, Washu cuts the power off by resetting the switch. The electricity dies out and the room becomes silent and dark once again. Tenchi felt a little curious about the method of the experiment, so he decided to ask Washu about it. "Excuse me? Little Washu?" She pulls the goggles off. "What is it Tenchi?" "I was just curious. What was all the electricity bolting around used for?" "Oh, that was just for the added affect Tenchi." "Affect of what?" "Entertainment of course." She grinned. "Huh? You mean all of that was just for show!" She nods her head. "Um hmm. You see Tenchi, we scientists have to keep ourselves entertained, otherwise we could loose interest in the field of science." Tenchi squinted his eyes closed. "Yeah, somehow I was expecting that type of an answer." "Well let's see how it turned out." She presses several keys on her computer and the door to the middle container opens, spraying out lots of steam, blocking their view of anything or anyone inside.

The group holds their breathe as a hand grasps the side of the door and a female foot slowly steps forth from the container. A strange looking young woman emerges from the container. She had cyan colored hair, much like Ryoko's, but a couple strips of purple ran down the length of her hair. Her hair style didn't look like either Ryoko's or Ayeka's, her hair was styled like a normal woman's hair that reached down to her shoulders. Most noticeably different about her was that one eye was golden yellow, the other was red.

"Hey glad to see your all right Ry. . uh. .Ayek. . .umm. . ." Tenchi trailed off when he realized that she wasn't either Ryoko or Ayeka.

"It's my new baby, so I get to name her. I'll call her little Ryoka." Washu cried with mock glee.

The newly named Ryoka looks herself over. Her outfit was similar to Ryoko's normal battle suit, but the parts that usually were red were now white. As she looked at her features, Washu walked around Ryoka looking at every angle to see if she had developed to top physical form.

"Hmm. . .I'd say they both formed together nicely."

Ryoka looks about the room, her eyes stop wondering around the room when her vision falls onto Tenchi. Having memories of both Ayeka and Ryoko, she knew who he was and how she felt about him. She vanishes from beside Washu and reappears next to Tenchi.

"Hi Tenchi." She says embracing him in her arms. "Oh." She says, releasing him quickly and covers her face with her hands as her cheeks turn red with embarrassment. "Oh my." She begins to giggle innocently as she sways herself left to right.

Tenchi looks confused as to what was wrong. "Well it looks like their emotions blended together as well. She shows Ryoko's daring and Ayeka's mannerly upbringing." Washu explained. "Hey crazy girl!" She shouted to get Ryoka's attention. "Don't forget that we have some work for you to do."

Getting her thoughts onto track, Ryoka nods her head in acknowledgement to Washu. Ryoka walks over to Tenchi. She places her hands on both of his shoulders and looks at him longingly.

"Tenchi. I. .. .I know that I haven't really existed for more than a few minutes. . . .but I want you to know that I remember everything as both Ryoko and Ayeka. I think they would feel the way I feel right now, so I will tell you that I . . .we love you with all of our being. I wanted you to know that in case I. . . .don't. . ."

Tenchi placed his hand onto her shoulder. "You don't have to say that. I know how both Ryoko and Ayeka feel about me. The truth is I feel the same way for both of them, for everyone here. So don't talk like your not coming back, knowing Ryoko and Ayeka, you'll be too determined to not get killed."

She embraces Tenchi in a hug and tries to burn this moment into her mind. For her to remember this feeling of want and need from Tenchi was everything that she could ever want in the universe.

Washu clears her throat to get their attention. Ryoka looks at Washu, knowing what it was she was wanting.

"I'll come back Tenchi. Even if I have to slay Death itself, I will come back to you." She reassured him, grasping his hands and squeezing them.

Tenchi smiles warmly at her. "Good luck Ryoka."

"Alright then. Let's go back to the door." Washu suggested.

Ryoka had been at the door longer than she had expected to be. Everyone was saying their good luck, but deep down inside she knew they were also saying their goodbyes, just in case. Because she knew this, she didn't try to rush them in hurrying their talking and hugging her. She cared deeply for their affection to her, or at least to the two people that she embodied. She enjoyed embracing the slightly older Sasami. The Ayeka side of her wanted to just hold onto her sister forever and never let go of her. The Ryoko side of her felt the same way about the youngest princess. She and Ryoko felt like sisters as well, Sasami was one of the only girls that didn't tease her or make her feel weird or unwanted. But she knew that she had to go now, so she cherished taking in the last few seconds with Sasami before breaking the hug.

"I should be going now."

"Please be careful." Sasami asked with pleading eyes.

"I will."

As the two lower their arms from each other, Tsunami appears next to the doorway. Ryoka turns around to her and looks the goddess in the face.

"Are you prepared?"

"Tell me, what are our odds of winning this fight?" Ryoka asks.

"I am afraid neither me nor my sister Tokimi can foresee a clear decisive victor in this fight, only the outcome of either winner."

"So I take it is bad looking if we lose."

"I foresee several worlds and races of beings extinguished by Tokimi's reign. Most of them vital to the universes development under my care."

"All right, so I just go through the door beat their fighter and all is well. No problem."

Tsunami smiles at how Ryoka has made something that will be challenging sound so easy. "I'm afraid your challenger may be more of a challenge than what you make the fight out to be. You must be careful."

"Will do. Wish me luck everyone." Ryoka spoke turning to everyone.

Everyone in the room each said their best wishes to her in their own turn. Taking a long look at everyone awaiting her return to the lab, she burned their faces into her memory and opens the door. Ryoka and Tsunami walk through the door and shut it behind them. The door vanishes from the lab and the others begin to wait for their safe return.

I hope you have enjoyed my story thus far. The thrilling conclusion is soon to come. Also please e-mail me to tell me what you think of the story, so that I can improve the story if need be.


	17. Total Destruction

Shogun Muyo - Chapter 17: Total Destruction

I do not own any of the Tenchi Muyo characters and I am in no way making money off of writing this. I do it because I like the characters of Tenchi Muyo and write for the fun of it. So in closing, (drops to knees) PLEASE DON'T SUE ME! Thank you and enjoy the read.

Ryoka found herself standing on what appeared to be a barren planet, there were mountains in the surrounding area, there was no grass or trees, nor life for that matter. There was an eerie silence about the place, it was so quiet Ryoka could hear every beat of her heart. She looked around and didn't seen anyone around, she didn't even see Tsunami anywhere and Ryoka was sure that she had stepped into the doorway behind her.

"Hello!" She cried out, getting tired of the silence there was in this place.

She listened as her cry echoed several times before it faded into nothingness. She waited a couple of seconds for any kind of reply, but received nothing back. She signed in frustration.

"This would make a wonderful place for a summer home." She mumbled to herself

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Meanwhile, in a place that was really no place at all, the goddess Tokimi looked into a large orb that showed Ryoka on the barren planet. She and the orb were the only visible objects in this place the surroundings were in darkness. Suddenly her sister Tsunami appears to the right of her.

"Tsunami." Tokimi said acknowledging her presence.

"Tokimi." Tsunami replied.

"It seems our important day has come again, dear sister." Tokimi states.

"Yes, it seems it has." Tsunami replied.

"The victor shall determine which of us will run the universe for the next thousand years."

Tsunami nods her head in agreement with Tokimi's words. However since Tsunami's bonding with Sasami she has experienced more emotions in her being than she was originally created with. Currently she was experiencing concern and worry, she shared her feelings with Sasami and she could tell that the young Sasami was indeed worried about Ryoka. Tsunami was also worried about Ryoka being able to carry out this battle. . . .to the death.

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Ryoka sat down on a rock and was waiting for whoever was going to show up. She began to contemplate that Tsunami may have pulled some really twisted prank on Ryoko and Ayeka to lure them to the middle of nowhere and get a laugh out of it. If it was then Washu would have had to have been in on it, since it was her idea to combine the two together to create the newly formed Ryoka. If it was a prank she was going to make Washu pay for it.

Then suddenly an answer to her prayers, out of nowhere a form appears out of thin air. She was feeling angry about having to wait ten minutes contemplating if anything was going to happen. She was about to give the figure a piece of her mind, but she stopped before saying anything when she saw who it was that had appeared.

"Daimyo?. . . . . . . . .Is that you?" Ryoka asked seeing that the man appeared to be Daimyo, but the hair was blood red and the gem on his forehead was a golden yellow.

"Who are you? How did you know my name?" Daimyo asked confused to his new surroundings and the strange woman in front of him.

"I'm Ryoka. I'm both Ryoko and Ayeka combined."

"What! Ryoko and Ayeka! I thought I was supposed to fight Tenchi."

"Well apparently your supposed to fight the hawk and that is me." She replied.

"That works for me, it'll be a lot easier for me to fight the two of you to the death than it would have been with that boy. Was starting to see some potential in that kid. Killing the two of you. . . .I have no complaints." He said with a sinister grin.

"Before we get started don't you at least want to know what happened on Draka?" She asked.

"Yes, I was a little curious as to what happened, I imagine that you all had to run off when I disappeared."

"Actually the king was killed . . . . . . . .by Mireya." She paused in saying her name. Ayeka's emotions inside of Ryoka caused a tear to trickle down her face.

"Are you crying for Trowa? That man was a monster in every sense of the word, at the news of his death, I'm sure the whole planet started to celebrate."

"No" She replied wiping the tear from her face. "I weep for Mireya."

"Mireya? What happened to her!" He demanded, concern was strong in his voice for his friend.

"I hate to be the one to tell you this, but Mireya is dead."

Daimyo hung his head down at the news of his compatriot's death. "How did she die?" He asked.

Ryoka was a little hesitant to respond. ". . . . . . . .after she killed Trowa. . . .she. . . .she tried to kill Tenchi. Ayeka. . . .she. . . . .she had no intention of hurting Mireya, it was an accident."

"YOU KILLED HER! YOU ANIMAL!" He yelled in rage, his energy spiked and his form was engulfed in a blood red energy. His sudden outburst caused Ryoka to gasp in surprise.

He rushed forward and threw a punch at Ryoka, expecting an attack from his outburst at her she quickly took flight and avoided the punch. Daimyo was launching an energy attack against her, the energy shot from his fist and created a crater into the side of the mountain that was behind Ryoka.

"I told you it was an accident! But have it your way!" Ryoka yelled at him.

Seeing the fight was now on, she charged at Daimyo with her energy sword and swiped at him, but to her surprise, he blocked her energy sword with his own.

"What!" Ryoka gasped when she noticed his sword.

"Seems I've picked up a couple of tricks since we last sparred." He retorted.

Before she could do anything else, Daimyo shoots a blast of energy at her with his free hand and Ryoka barely blocks it in time with her free hand. The absorption of the blast sends her sliding back several feet leaving an imprint of her feet sliding along the ground. As she regains her posture she notices movement just above her field of vision and looks to see that he is in the air coming down on her with his sword above his head. She dive rolls out of the way as he comes down and creates a crater as he impacts the ground. As she rolls back to her feet, she turns to prepare for another attack. Surprisingly a blur jets out of the crater and smacks Ryoka in the face, sending her flying back.

"He's a lot faster now too, didn't expect that." Ryoka thought to herself when she was flying back.

She charges a ball of energy in her right hand and uses her left hand to catch the ground to recover from the hit. When she's vertical in the flip over, she spots Daimyo coming at her again, she throws the energy ball at the ground where Daimyo was running toward. She flips herself back over just in time for the balls explosion. The blast causes her hair to flap straight out in front of her and plants Daimyo onto his back as the blast knocked him off his feet.

She turns back around to face him, he flips himself back onto his feet and glares at her. They both stand on opposite ends of the crater caused by Ryoka's attack. Daimyo lunges at her, flying like a missile at Ryoka, she pushes off of her feet and matches Daimyo's speed as they exchange punches and kicks in different directions. Each moves quickly, faster than most people could see, but the damage caused to the surrounding objects could be seen. Rocks and parts of hills and mountains would explode or have a crater put into them from the force of the two combatants blows.

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Back on Earth, the rest of the family hung around the living room area, seemingly waiting for hours, when Ryoka has been gone for about thirty-six minutes. Sasami was in the kitchen washing some dishes that was left from lunch. Though it was not the dishes being dirty as the main reason she was tending to them. She was washing the dishes to hide the fact that she was beginning to cry. With the assimilation with Tsunami occurring she was understanding Tsunami more, she knew what was happening. She knew that both Ryoka and Daimyo were fighting; she also knew that one of them wouldn't return from this fight. Tears were streaming down her face; her young teenage body shook as she tried to keep from crying aloud. She felt as though her stomach was being twisted into knots and found it felt hard to breathe.

"Sasami?" Mihoshi said entering the kitchen.

Sasami broke her train of thought as Mihoshi broke the silence in the room. She quickly wiped her cheeks to clear the tears away and turned to the detective.

"Oh, hey Mihoshi. Sorry seemed to have gotten more of the dishwater on my face than on the plates." She faked a laugh at the end to try to play off the tears that were plainly visible on her face.

"Hey, don't worry Sasami." Mihoshi spoke obviously knowing that the young girl was crying. She hugs Sasami tightly. "I'm sure your sister and Ryoko are doing just fine. I bet they'll be back before you know it." She reassured Sasami. Sasami put her face onto the detectives shoulder and let herself cry more. Mihoshi patted her head in response to her crying. "There, There, I'm sure they'll be fine."

In Washu's lab, Tenchi was getting examined by Washu for any possible injuries that she may have missed from Mireya's attack on him. So far she could tell that his back wasn't broken, just going to be bruised for a couple of days.

"Well it seems you were fortunate that she didn't try to break your spine Tenchi. You got off lucky with just a bruised back." Washu addressed him from her computer.

Tenchi was laying on his stomach as Washu's machine was scanning him. "Yeah, I guess that is lucky. I hope the girls are ok." He said with a slightly worried look on his face.

"I'm sure they're fine Tenchi. If there's one thing I know is that they're both too stubborn to get themselves killed." She reassured him.

"I hope your right."

"I know I am." Suddenly a devious smile appears on Washu's face. She types on her computer and the machine covering Tenchi's lower back lifts up and pulls itself away from the table. She stops typing and walks away from her futon cushion. She walks over to the prone Tenchi on the table and slightly bends down to get face level with him. "You know Tenchi, since your incapacitated here in the lab, I could get that sample you still owe me." She said with a big grin on her face.

"WHAT!" He yells nearly jumping out of his skin.

"Oh come on Tenchi. You know you want me too." She finished the last sentence in the most childish voice she could muster.

"No! I don't! Stop it!" He complained at her.

She merely grinned and giggled a little at him. She had no intension of getting the sample, she was merely aiming at cheering him up a little. Or was it she was trying to cheer herself up and irritate Tenchi. Either way she was having fun.

"Aawwee poor baby got a bruise." She said gently rubbing his lower back. "I'll kiss it make it better."

"Aagghh! No you won't! I said cut it out Washu!"

She merely giggled more and went to kiss his lower back. Seeing her approach, he turns his back away from her, but she begins to lean over the table to get to his back. He turns more and slips from the table and crashes to the floor.

Realizing that Tenchi had just hit the floor, she climbs up on the table and looks over the side Tenchi just fell from. "Tenchi?" She asks, looking over the edge to see him unconscious on the floor.

A sigh escapes from her lips. "Tenchi, when it comes to girls you're hopeless." She mutters to herself

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A large blast narrowly misses Ryoka as she continues to evade Daimyo's attacks. She's flying backwards firing back at Daimyo as each fighter dodges and counters with their energy. Luckily for Ryoka the planet seems to be dead, there are no trees for her to fly into or any innocent life to be extinguished from their fight.

"He's putting up a hell of a fight. This is going to be a little more challenging than I thought." She pondered to herself.

Her face brightens up when an idea comes to mind. It was a risky gamble, but if it worked it could give her the upper hand, perhaps the win. She increased her speed more, still flying backwards facing Daimyo, keeping an eye on him from behind.

"Hey slowpoke! Are you fighting or just wasting time!" She taunted.

She saw him grit his teeth in anger as his reply to her was to launch more energy blasts at her. He fired two blasts from each of his hands. Seeing him being distracted with anger was her chance. She plants her feet into the ground to quickly slide to a halt and pushed off with her feet to reverse direction straight toward Daimyo. Dodging the blasts she closed in, Daimyo wasn't expecting the reversal and was caught by surprise. Ryoka comes in from his left side and flies past his back, but not before grabbing two handfuls of his hair. Having a hold of him she flings him over her back and plants him headfirst into the ground.

"HHAAAAAAAA!" She screams extending both hands and releasing a huge blast of energy point blank into Daimyo's figure on the ground. The blast pushes her back into the air, as the force pushes her away she continues to launch a couple more smaller energy balls into the area. As the force pushing her away subsides, she forms an energy ball the size of a basketball between both of her hands. She raises it above her head and flings it back to where she saw Daimyo last. The blast from the last attack wasn't as strong as her first, but she felt it'll do. . . .maybe.

Out of the smoke Daimyo emerged and delivered an elbow strike to Ryoka's face. The force of his blow knocked her back speeding like a bullet into the side of the mountain that was a few yards away.

"Owe." Was the only thought that came into her mind after she was planted into the mountain. Ok, maybe that wasn't such a hot idea. She thought as she pulled herself out from the rocks.

She looks back up to see Daimyo upon her again. He throws his left punch at her, she leans to the right to dodge it as his fist is planted into the rocks. She wraps her left arm around his arm to hold him there and begins to punch him in the face repeatedly with her right. After the fourth to fifth hit to the face, he grabs her free arm and headbutts her in the face, causing her grip on his arm to loosen. Pulling his arm out of the rocks, he punches her in the gut. As she bends over from the punch, he gets her in a headlock and falls back sending her headfirst into the ground. He starts choking her, in response Ryoka begins kneeing him in the groin. The third knee causes him to let go of her, she quickly gets up and flies upward shooting energy blasts at him. She hits him several times with the blasts, due to his slowness to get up and dodge the attacks after her counter.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" He roars as his energy spikes and expands from around him, sweeping up dirt and generating a strong wind blowing outward.

Ryoka squints her eyes to keep the dirt from blinding her. Suddenly Daimyo materializes in front of her, he grabs her by the throat with his right hand and begins to squeeze. She knees him in the gut, but it doesn't seem to faze him. She tries to hit his elbow to get his grip to release, she even tries backhanding him in the face, but he doesn't let go. She thought that her throat was going to collapse any minute and she would die. She closed her eyes as her mind wondered back onto everyone in the household who was waiting for her return. Sasami, Mihoshi, Washu, even Noboyuki, and Yosho came into mind, but her thoughts paused on one person.

"Ten. . .chi." She whispered from her lips with what breathe she was able to squeeze out.

Her eyes shoot open with new feeling of strength washing over her body. She felt the energy filling up inside of her, it felt as though her body was going to burst from this overwhelming sensation. Feeling like she couldn't contain it anymore, she opened her mouth and screamed.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" As she screamed, a white energy engulfs and shoots out from Ryoka, knocking Daimyo back off of her. The energy grew to ten feet around her, the white energy highlighted her form making it easier for anyone to see the look of determination on her face.

"No you will not kill me! My power is fueled by my love for Tenchi! That is something that you cannot kill!" She declared to him.

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Tsunami and Tokimi continued to watch the battle unfold. Seeing Ryoka understand where her power is from creates the sensation of relief and hope inside Tsunami. She slightly smiles at Ryoka's declaration of love for Tenchi. Tokimi notices the change of emotion in her sister and smiles as well, though her smile was not caused by Ryoka's love or Tsunami's change in mood.

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"Hah! Love! Love is not a strong of an emotion to fuel your power! Rage fuels mine! And thanks to you and everyone in that house of yours, I have more than enough power to go around!" He replied.

He lowers his head and clenches his fists as he builds upon the rage and anger within him. His energy begins to increase and expand. It quickly evens up with Ryoka's energy and begins to go past it.

Seeing his energy surpassing hers, she begins to let her energy increase more as well. The two energy fields grow until they touch eachother. Daimyo extends his hands to push his field toward Ryoka, she does the same. The two fields begin crackling energy, the bolts of lightning that are expelled from the force of the two fields begins shooting out in all directions. It rips lines into the ground underneath them and across the landscape.

The force of the two energies also creates a force of wind that begins to suck the rock and dirt on the landscape toward the center of the collision of the two powers. Both combatants are doing their best to overpower the other. They both take a large breath and violently exhale their breath in battle cries to increase their force. Both powers explode in every direction, the destructive forces consumes the landscape in a bright flash of light.

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Back on Earth, everything in the house began to lightly tremble, as if the slightest earth quake was happening, dishes fell to the floor, windows rattled, and a cabbit tried to keep from stumbling around into walls during all the shaking. Sasami crouched down onto the kitchen floor and braced herself to watch for anything falling down.

"Ryoko, Ayeka, please be safe." She whispers to herself.

Washu's lab is also experiencing some shaking. Washu types frantically to determine what is causing her lab to shake. Through her check, she sees that the quaking is happening outside of her dimension as well, which to say the least is suppose to be impossible.

"What's going on?" She ponders.

She types some more on her computer to figure out what is causing the shaking. Her equipment shows that the source of the vibration was located at the part of the universe Ryoka and Tsunami went to. Apparently the energy being dispersed there was sending a shock wave throughout the universe.

Washu's features lit up with glee. "Unbelievable." She spoke in awe.

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On the planet of Draka, soldiers were re-securing the castle and taking into count the damage and the dead. Their duty was interrupted with a quake that seemed to be shaking the whole planet. One of the new recruits of the soldiers braced himself against the great doors that lead into the throne room. A couple of his colleagues took shelter underneath the doorway with him.

"Hard to believe a quake is happening after everything that's happened here. We must truly be a cursed people." One of the soldiers spoke.

"I heard the attack on the emperor was the warrior Daimyo, isn't he supposed to be one of the prophesized brothers?"

Overhearing his comrades speaking of the legend, the new recruit looked at the door where the insignia of a Dragon and a Hawk were entwined. Looking at the art on the door he read the scripture that was below the picture aloud.

"And the universe shook at the might of the brothers."

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The landscape was scorched and smoking from the heat of the energies of the two combatants powers. If it wasn't a dead planet before, it was quickly becoming one now. The two fighters were battling in the air above the charred landscape, both exchanging punches and kicks evenly amongst each other. Both combatants seemed to be evenly matched for the other. Ryoka kicks him and pushes him a small distance away from her.

"Wow Daimyo, I think your actually getting weaker, so much for your power!" Ryoka taunts.

"Don't be so quick to judge! I've only been warming up! I think it's time I stopped playing around and showed you the extent of my rage!" He replied.

Daimyo began to recall from his memories the anger and frustration that they had caused him. They had caused him to doubt himself and his abilities. They also had treated him like dirt and with disrespect. He felt the burning of his rage course through his veins like fire. He began to lose himself within the rage and anger taking over his very being and was enjoying every second of the feeling.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" He yells at the top of his lungs.

Daimyo's energy grows exponentially in size his energy shoots out in every direction over the landscape. Ryoka shields herself from his energy, which was seemingly covering everything. From a distance in space, his energy could be seen covering half the planet. His energy swirled around the planet, causing nearby asteroids to begin orbiting around his energy around the planet.

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Tokimi's facial expression slightly changes. "This. . .This was unforeseen. His power is greater than I had expected it to be. If he were to use this amount of energy at me. . . .he could actually be capable of hurting me. I will have to deal with him after this battle is over, he cannot be allowed to possess such power." Tokimi contemplated.

Tsunami noticed the change in her sister's expression. She could tell that Daimyo was exceptionally powerful, perhaps more powerful than Tokimi wanted him to be. Tsunami began to realize that win or lose, Daimyo's existence may become short lived.

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Sasami sat in the living room area, she and Mihoshi were looking at some of the romance comics that Noboyuki had a library of. Which had entertained Sasami in the past when Ryoko and Ayeka tried to win Tenchi over with by using them as guides to get their true love. Mihoshi suggested they read them to take her mind off of worrying about her sister and Ryoko.

However as the blonde detective laughed at how goofy one of the characters in the novel she was reading Sasami was still sharing thoughts with Tsunami, she held her book and was looking down in the direction of the book, but reading was the furthest thing in her mind.

"Help them Tsunami." She pleaded to the goddess in her thoughts.

She waited for any reply from Tsunami in her head, after a small silence she received a reply. Alright. I can help them Sasami, but I will require your help in doing so.

"I'd do anything for them Tsunami." She replied.

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On the barren planet, Ryoka help her energy around her to block his from hurting her. She grit her teeth in anger, as far as she could tell she didn't hold power on this scale. Not even her love for Tenchi could even out the balance of power.

"If I am to meet my end on this forsaken planet. I intend to go out fighting." She thought to herself.

Daimyo retracted his energy back into him to allow the fight to continue. Seeing that she didn't have to concentrate on repelling his energy, she began to fly toward him. Only to pause when she sees that his is already floating in front of her. He effortlessly backhands her, but hits her with enough force to send her flying faster than a bullet. He appears in her current course of direction and bats her away again in another direction. Suddenly Ryoka finds herself getting beaten around like a pinball and not having enough time to recover from one hit before receiving the next hit. Daimyo ends his assault upon her by grabbing her right leg and swinging her around like a child's toy top. He releases her leg and she crashes into the surface of the planet creating a long line through the landscape before she finally comes to a stop.

She is slow to getting up due to her being so light headed and dizzy from Daimyo's assault upon her. She places her arms to both sides of the linear crater she was inside of to pull herself out of the hole. Daimyo takes hold of her right hand, she looks up out of the crater at him still in a daze and confused. Was he trying to help her up? Ryoka quickly got her answer as he pulls on her arm and lifts her out of the hole, over his shoulder and slams her onto the ground. Blood spits from her mouth as the force of the blow to her back with the ground knocks the air out of her body. He throws her over his shoulder again into the ground opposite of where she landed from the first throw. He throws her again and again until he practically completes a circle and a half in this fashion. He finishes by swinging around and planting her back first into a rock, creating an imprint of her body within the rock. Ryoka slides down from the rock and onto the ground.

She has trouble focusing her vision, the world looks blurry and faint through her eyes. Most likely from the beating she's been enduring somehow. She could make Daimyo out as he slowly strolled over to her form on the ground. She felt her brain was wanting to shut down to let her slip into unconsciousness, but she tried to fight the fatigue, knowing what would happen if she passed out now. Daimyo stops before Ryoka's fallen form, she was nearly sitting up, but could tell that she was close to being unconscious. She was slowly able to lift her head up to look up at him, being closer now she was able to see him better. She saw that he looked pleased with himself.

"Well looks like I'm the Dragon of the So once more. I've beaten you proving that I am unbeatable once again."

"Is. .that what matters. . .most to you?" Ryoka is able to speak.

Daimyo is a little surprised at her response. "Yes. Being the strongest is what matters most."

"You. . . . .you're a. . .sad little man."

"You dare call me a little man after I wipe the ground with you?" He yelled angered at her insult.

"Always having to be the best. . . .you act like a selfish child. . ." She spoke still on the ground looking up at him.

He squints his eyes in anger at her. "You're a nuisance to the very end." He spoke in a cold manner to her. He raises his arm at her, a ball of energy forms in his hand, as he prepares to finish her off.

Ryoka closes her eyes, tears stream down her face. "I'm sorry Tenchi. Looks like I won't be coming home." She thinks regretfully to herself.

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Back on Earth, Sasami and Mihoshi are still sitting in the living room looking at the romance books.

"Sasami it's time." Tsunami informs her.

Sasami bolts from her seat and runs into the kitchen, Mihoshi gets concerned and calls after her. As she runs into the kitchen and leaves Mihoshi's line of sight, she dematerializes into small twinkles of light and vanishes. Mihoshi enters the kitchen and is confused.

"Sasami? Where did you go?" She asks bewildered.

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On the barren planet, the newly existing being known as Ryoka was about to meet her end.

"Good riddance." He says to her as he releases the energy building in his hand.

Before the energy hits her, Ryoka vanishes and the side of the mountain is the only thing that gets destroyed by his blast. Seeing that she wasn't hit by his attack, he turns and looks in all directions, trying to locate her before she had a chance to attack. He closed his eyes to try to feel her presence nearby. Sensing a presence behind him he turns to attack, he took one step and froze in place. His fist still in position to throw a punch, but the will to throw it is fading from him.

Instead of seeing Ryoka, he now found himself looking at a young woman, who bore a striking resemblance to Sasami, but was a couple of years older. He looked the girl over and saw that she looked at him with pleading eyes. He felt the rage and anger inside him dissolve into nothingness within him as he looked into her caring eyes.

"S. . . .Sasami? Is that you. . .?" He asked, confused as to what was happening.

She smiles warmly at him. "Hi Daimyo."

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Tokimi looked to her sister. "What are you doing? You've forfeit the fight."

"No, I haven't forfeit the fight." Tsunami replies.

"Your fighter has left and your bond-mate is talking with my fighter. What are you doing?"

"I'm doing what I'm allowed to do."

"It was my idea for the battles to determine who gets to do what with the future of the universe. What makes you think this is allowed?" Tokimi inquired.

"You got to manipulate my fighter, so I'm exercising my right to manipulate yours. After my bond-mate is finished saying what she wants to say the fight will continue if your fighter wishes it so." Tsunami answered.

Tokimi couldn't argue with her sister on that subject, she did manipulate her fighter a little, whatever her bond-mate had to say wouldn't change his nature of wanting to win. She knew the fight would continue, so she was going to allow her sisters action.

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"Sasami, what are you doing here?" Daimyo asked.

"I came to see you and to beg you to stop this." She pleaded to him.

"I. . . . .I can't."

"Why? Why can't you stop fighting and come back to us. . . . . . . .to me."

He turns his back to her. "This. . . .this is all I've ever known Sasami. If I don't have this. . . . . .what purpose do I have?"

"You can make your own purpose in life Daimyo. Please come back. . . . . .stay with me." She said on the verge of crying hoping he would say yes.

Daimyo began to see the life he's lead, he had fought for good and justice for his world. Fighting monsters like Trowa, Voog, and Botaro, but now he saw that he himself had become the very thing that he had once stood against. Had he truly lost everything that he once was?

I cannot go back to Draka. If I go back, they would try to make me emperor with the way I am now, I'd be no better than Trowa. And I cannot return to Earth, they wouldn't welcome me back, not after what I've done. I guess there's only one thing left for me to do.

"Sasami." He spoke.

"Yes." She replies waiting to hear his response.

"I want you to leave."

Sasami felt as though her heart was about to break. "What?" She asked in disbelieve as to what he just said.

"I want you to leave this place. I want you to never come looking for me. I'm never returning to your home on Earth." He spoke, his back still turned to her.

"Daimyo. . . ." She spoke in nearly a whisper to him as she place her hands on his back and laids her head onto her hands to get him to reconsider.

"I want you to live a happy life Sasami. You cannot find happiness with me, your not safe being with me. I want you to find someone who makes you shine and love life. Most of all. . . . .I want you to stay away from me."

She practically bearhugs him as tears begin to flow from her eyes. She buries her face into his back and let the tears come. Her body shakes from the crying as Daimyo allows her to cry onto his back as long as she needed. He felt he at least owed her that.

After a few moments of crying on his back, she tilts her head to the side to enjoy the feeling of hugging him. Taking in the moment, she says the words that are aching in her heart.

"I love you Daimyo."

With those words spoken, Sasami vanishes into light and is gone. Daimyo cups his hands onto his chest where Sasami's hands held a few seconds ago.

"I'm sorry Sasami." He spoke regretfully.

The image of Tokimi appears to the right of him. "Now that Tsunami's bond-mate has finished, the fight can continue." She addressed him.

He looked down at his hands over his chest before answering. "No."

"What do you mean no?" She asked emotion seemingly empty from her question.

"Are you deaf!" He replied looking at her with an irritated look on his face. "I said No! Which means there's going to be no more fighting!"

"A word of caution Daimyo, don't forget to whom you speak. You don't want to incur the wrath of a goddess. The fight will continue. This battle is the only reason you exist, this is the moment that your whole life has lead up to." She spoke with a more stern look on her face.

"Stuff your wrath lady! I don't care about you or your stupid fight! I've become something that I used to hate! You've made me into a monster and as far as I'm concerned you're a monster as well!" He spoke redirecting his anger at the being that's changed him. During a slight pause in his verbal assault upon the goddess he partially turns away from her and begins to think. "You know. . . . .this fight really means a lot to you doesn't it?" He questioned looking back at her. "Since you care so much about this fight, I'm going to make sure you don't win it." He told her with a mock smirk on his face.

He re-ignites his power as his energy covers his form again and lets the energy build up.

"What are you going to do Daimyo? Kill me? I'm a goddess remember." She calmly reminded him.

He begins to laugh as his energy visibly begins to grow further out from him. "Hahahahahaa. . . . .who said. .hehehehe. . . .who said anything about killing you? I thought gods and goddesses were supposed to know everything."

"You'd throw away everything you have, you're a fool Daimyo."

"Everything I have! HA! I don't have anything because of you! Now because of me, you have nothing!"

He concentrates more on expanding his energy.

"Very well, if you wish to die by your own hand. Far be it for me to stop you." Tokimi tells him.

She fades out and Daimyo is left alone. He continues to expand his energy as large as he can. To work his energy to the maximum level and to make it overload, he uses all his concentration to rush his powers acceleration. Lightning begins coursing over his body as his power continues to rise past his limit. Sending wave after wave of unbearable pain through Daimyo's body. He could sense that it was going to happen soon, every fiber of his being wanted for him to stop, to survive, like he had always done before. But he knew that it was best that he continue this through to the end. He had accepted the fact that he was a danger to everyone, including himself.

He closes his eyes to await seeing his existence beyond this one. I'm sorry. . . .for everything that I've done as a monster. I may not have been able to see this if it wasn't for you, Sasami. I wish you good fortune in your life, never change who you are.

After saying his final farewell to the youngest princess, he channels the rest of his energy to detonate himself. Suddenly, he opens his eyes, as if it was a command to do so whispered softly into his ear. Through his eyes, it appears as if time itself had slowed to nearly a halt. He was able to see a figure walking toward him through the cloud of his energy. He couldn't tell who it was, but he knew it wasn't Tokimi, he would have noticed her style of hair, but this figure was something he couldn't make out. He felt a tranquil feeling wash over him, followed by a warmth that he couldn't begin to try to explain. It felt like overwhelming joy, happiness, and love rolled into one tremendous feeling. He felt tears come down his face from this feeling bursting out of him. The figure being black when he first saw it was now a glowing light. The light was an intense shine, but it didn't hurt his eyes to look at it, it was like no other light he had ever seen before. He smiled at the figure and reached his hand out toward the light.

The massive energy that Daimyo had built up ignited, resulting in the destruction of the barren world and the asteroids that encircled the planet. The blast sends a shockwave through the small system the planet was a part of causing damage to the rest of the planets in the system. The bright light of the explosion shone into the blackness of space letting any habitable world to one day see the spectacle of the planets destruction and the one day forming of a new star in the galaxy.

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Tokimi watched the explosion of the world with displeasure, her fighter was no more and Tsunami's still lived. She knew what her sister was going to say, causing her to ball her fist in anger at Daimyo's betrayal. Tsunami looks at her sister, she doesn't say anything to her to get her attention. Tokimi senses Tsunami looking at her and she looks at her as well. The two don't say anything for a moment. Tsunami breaks the silence.

"Well is there anything that needs to be said?"

"For future reference, there will be no manipulation of any of the fighters after the battle starts. Agreed?" She asks looking back at Tsunami.

"Agreed." She nods her head in compliance.

"By the way, don't think that I didn't see what you did." Tokimi added.

"I would never think that we could slip anything by the other Tokimi." Tsunami replied. "Since the rules were maintained and my fighter still lives, I shall direct the development of the universe for the next thousand years. I suppose I'll see you again in a thousand years Tokimi."

With that Tsunami disappears from the location the sisters were to watch the battle. Tokimi clinches her fists in anger for a couple of seconds, then she relaxes her hands again and smiles.

"One thousand years? Ha, what is time to an immortal? I've been patient before. . . .I can be patient again." She spoke to herself.

That's it for this chapter I hope you liked this chapter, but don't think the story is over I'll have one last chapter to write.


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